Bahrain Bans Sand Dredging in Muharraq and Jarada Island

Bahrain’s HRH Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has ordered the relevant authorities in the country to stop extracting sand and to prevent operations in the marine areas north of Muharraq and around the Jarada Island.

According to his orders, the freezing of operations will be applicable until a study on the impact of digging and sand dredging on the marine environment is conducted.

Bahrain’s state news agency (BNA) said in its announcement that the Prime Minister’s orders came in line as response to sailors and diving enthusiasts, who said that marine areas might be affected by sand dredging activities.

Supreme Council for the Environment (SCE) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mohammed Mubarak bin Daina also paid tribute to the Prime Minister for this decision, adding that the council would carry out the study which aims to assess the impact of sea sand extraction before submitting a report to Al Khalifa.

The order was welcomed by fishermen and environmentalists, according to local media.