MESAIEED, Qatar (AP) — Thirty feet (9 meters) deep in the waters of the Persian Gulf, angelfish swim in and out of rusting pickup trucks and vans. Plastic bags and water bottles, washed up from the nearby shoreline, float to the bottom of the ocean.
World Cup Fans in Qatar hoping to see some of the Gulf’s marine life are visiting the artificial reefs off the coast of the small peninsular Arab nation. Underwater installations of vehicles, bicycles, concrete blocks and dismantled toilets attract divers from around the world from the Persian Gulf and beyond.
Discarded structures provide habitats for fish and invertebrates. Fish swarm in places that have faced a decline in marine life or never had much of it, including this strip of ocean near the industrial city of Mesaeeid. Barges and cranes are used to deposit the hollowed-out vehicles around which schools of fish swim.
Urbanization, fishing, and climate change have profoundly disturbed marine life in the Persian Gulf. Artificial reefs attract fish and other marine life, but experts say they can also lead to more fishing, attract invasive species and disrupt ecosystems. Scientists say they do not replace natural reefs.
Near the dive site, SUVs ascend the rolling dunes that define the landscape. In the distance, groups of tourists ride camels. The vast oil refineries in the area are never out of sight. Dive instructors park their vans and vans along the shoreline to bring new groups of visitors to the underwater structures.
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