Environmental Expert Highlights the Need for Continued Water Quality Testing, Marine Habitat Assessment and Wildlife Monitoring to Evaluate Recovery After an Oil Spill.
Removing oil from affected beaches is a crucial first step in responding to a marine pollution incident. However, even after the coastline appears clean, an important question remains: how can authorities establish whether the wider marine ecosystem has suffered damage?
As efforts continue to contain and clear the recent oil spill along the UAE’s northern coastline, an environmental specialist has highlighted the importance of assessing water quality, coastal habitats and marine wildlife to understand the full extent of the incident and monitor ecological recovery.
Dr Aseel Takshe, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Digital Innovation and Sustainability at Canadian University Dubai (CUD), explained that the environmental consequences of an oil spill are influenced by several factors, including the characteristics of the oil, its movement through the water and the speed of containment efforts.
“The extent of the damage will be shaped by winds, tides, currents, and wave action, which determine where oil moves and whether it reaches sensitive lagoons and islands. The type of oil, the speed of containment, and the care taken during shoreline cleanup will also be decisive.”
On Friday, the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) confirmed that an oil leak from a tanker was behind unusual smells reported in several areas of the northern emirates.
The ministry also confirmed that marine pollution had reached beaches in Umm Al Quwain, leading to a coordinated response involving federal and local government agencies.
As a precaution, authorities temporarily closed beaches across Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah while specialist teams worked to contain the pollution, remove oil deposits and restore affected coastal areas.
Officials also reassured the public that the unusual odours associated with the incident did not pose a health risk.
Is cleaning visible oil from beaches sufficient?
According to Dr Takshe, clearing oil from the shoreline and surrounding waters is an essential immediate response, but it does not necessarily mean that all traces of contamination have disappeared.
Environmental testing and habitat assessments are needed to determine whether oil residues remain in nearby marine environments.
In some cases, oil can accumulate in seabed sediments or become lodged in protected coastal locations, potentially remaining there long after visible slicks have been cleared.
“The longer-term concern is that oil may persist in sediments and sheltered creeks, continuing to affect marine life after the visible slick has disappeared,” she said.
“This could influence fish recruitment, turtle foraging, bird breeding success, and the health of seagrass and mangrove systems that underpin the wider food web.”
These potential effects highlight why environmental recovery cannot be measured solely by the appearance of beaches or the removal of surface pollution.
Why protecting marine habitats matters
Dr Takshe pointed to the ecological significance of coastal waters surrounding Khor Al Beidah and Al Siniyah Island in Umm Al Quwain.
These locations contain several important marine ecosystems, including mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, tidal mudflats and coral habitats.
Together, these environments provide essential feeding, sheltering and breeding areas for a wide range of marine species and coastal birds.
“These habitats provide food for green turtles, nursery grounds for commercially valuable fish, and habitat for rays, sharks, and large numbers of resident and migratory birds.”
She explained that sheltered coastal ecosystems, particularly mangroves and seagrass beds, are especially sensitive during oil spill response operations.
If oil enters these environments, it can become trapped around vegetation, roots and sediment, making removal more challenging and increasing the possibility of prolonged contamination.
As a result, evaluating the condition of these habitats is a key part of determining the wider environmental consequences of a spill.
How long could marine ecosystems take to recover?
The time required for an ecosystem to recover from oil contamination varies considerably, depending on the scale of the spill, the type of habitats affected and the effectiveness of containment and clean-up measures.
Dr Takshe explained that some coastal environments may recover faster than others.
“Sandy beaches may recover relatively quickly once oil is removed, but mangroves, seagrass meadows, coral communities, and contaminated sediments may require several years to return to full ecological function.”
This means that although beaches may appear restored within a relatively short period, sensitive marine habitats could require much longer to regain their ecological health.
She also stressed the importance of using appropriate clean-up techniques, as poorly managed operations could disturb delicate ecosystems and potentially cause further environmental harm.
What happens once clean-up operations are completed?
After the visible pollution has been removed, continued environmental monitoring becomes an important part of understanding whether affected marine ecosystems are recovering.
According to Dr Takshe, authorities can use ongoing assessments to identify remaining contamination, evaluate habitat conditions and determine whether targeted restoration work is necessary.
“Authorities will need to track oil in water and sediments, assess the condition of mangroves, seagrass, corals, and intertidal habitats, and monitor fish, turtle, and seabird populations for signs of stress or unusual mortality.”
These assessments may need to continue across multiple seasons to provide a clearer understanding of changes in marine conditions and wildlife populations.
Monitoring results can also help authorities identify locations requiring additional protection or environmental restoration.
Dr Takshe emphasised that recovery measures should be guided by scientific evidence and focused on protecting the country’s most environmentally significant coastal areas.
“Restoration efforts should therefore be evidence-based, prioritising the protection and recovery of the UAE’s most valuable coastal ecosystems and the species they support,” she said.
Ultimately, the disappearance of visible oil marks an important stage in the clean-up process, but assessing the health of marine habitats and wildlife remains essential to understanding the longer-term environmental impact.
“This continued monitoring will help ensure that clean-up measures prioritise environmental protection, contribute to the restoration of Umm Al Quwain’s marine ecosystems, and preserve the UAE coastline’s valuable natural heritage,” she added.
