28 I MUSCATDAIIY I TUESDAY, JANUARY 04.2011
SPAREA THOUGHTFORTHAT
FISHON YOURPLATE
Rossella Meloni, whotookpartin an expedition in Musandam to studymarine life,feelsthat everyone needsto do somethinq for the environment Suiit ChandraKumar [,4uscat
fishinghasledto a reductionin ihesetypesoffishintheregion. 5o,it isjusta smallsteptotake Rossella Melonihasa pieceof to protectour environment. advice fortheenvironmentally-Thereareseveralthings likethis mindedamongyou.Nexttjme everyone cando for the future youeat out,do not orderham- generations," shesaid, mourorklnglish. "MarinescienBesidesmakingsuch contistssuspectthat commercial sciousdecisionsto practise
greenliving,Rossellarecently wenta stepaheadin her bidto 'preserve the resources that we haveon the earth'.Sheparticipatedin a divingexpedition at the Musandampeninsulain Oman.CalledReefCheckEcoExpedition.the programme's participantswere a diverse
groupcomingfromSwitzerland, Germany,The Netherlands, Australia, the UK,Norway,Por tugalandOman.Rossella's trip wascourtesya scholarship by HSBCand Biosphere Expeditions,whichorganises the programmein Musandam. "There were three dives
doneto reducesuchimpact," everydaywhenwe workedwith Wegot intensetrain- shesaid. scieniists. maOne'ofthe thingsthat she ingfor a weekto recognise duringthe Musandam rine life as well as conduct learned damwasaboutthe surveys.A similarexpedition course wasdonein 2009andthesites agecausedto coralsin estisurveyedthen were surveyed the Gulf."Recent year that 30 so that data can mates show this again per of the coral check for any cent to be analysed reefsareat a critical saidRossella. changes," ltaly, stage while 65 Originally from per cent may who movedto Oman Rossella, years have been ago, has been a diver already two qualified of lost because for a decadeandis a in various reasons. Herinterest divinginstructor. a Thedatathatwas conservation became rnarine passion collected will show aftershewent for an in the extentof the expeditionin Madagascar Laypeooamage. 2006. ple can helpcoladvenAftertheMusandam wantsto do her lectdata.Thereis ture,Rossella aboutentalkof doingsimilar bitto raiseawareness "Thereisso research in the issues. vironmental Muscatareaalso." much diversityin Oman in Rossella intends tems of migratorybirds,turiles Butoften,peopledo to give a talk to andsharks. share her experithe richness that is not realise ences with likeavailable or showenoughreminded people. that spect.lt hasbeenobserved "Each individual certaintypesof fisharenotallowedto growbecausqofinten- hasto contribute sive fishing.While it is not possible to put a stopto commercialfishingbecausepeople onitfortheirlivelihood, depend we needto ask what qan be
andwe canmakea difference needto makethemunderstand what they can do. lt may be smallthingssuchasdoingour debitto conservewateror cidingnot to leaverubbish behind in the wadlsor to reduce the useof plastic," shesaid.
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RossellaMeloni