Saudi Arabia’s Efforts to Protect Marine Habitats and Biodiversity

The Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf represent a priceless natural treasure for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, not only for the resources they hold, but for the rich and unique life they sustain: colorful coral reefs, countless species of fish, sea turtles navigating our waters, sharks maintaining the balance of the marine food chain, and mangrove forests that protect the coasts and provide safe havens for life.

Guided by this awareness, the Kingdom is working to safeguard this natural heritage through a comprehensive national vision, led by the state represented by the National Center for Wildlife Development under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, with scientific support from King Abdulaziz University and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), alongside many other outstanding national efforts. These initiatives aim to conserve marine biodiversity and protect the habitats that sustain it.

These efforts include monitoring marine species and studying their status, documenting their distribution, migration, and breeding areas, assessing the health of coral reefs, and protecting seagrass meadows and mangrove forests, which serve as natural nurseries for young organisms and as protective shields for coastlines. The Kingdom also works to restore degraded environments, regulate coastal and marine activities, and build national biodiversity databases to support science-based decision-making.

In a step that reflects this strong commitment, Saudi Arabia has recently announced the expansion of its network of marine protected areas and the designation of new marine reserves in the Red Sea, creating safe zones where coral reefs are preserved, breeding grounds are protected, and marine life is given the opportunity to thrive and regenerate in environments free from human pressures.

These efforts reflect a vision that views the protection of the sea not as an option, but as a national and moral responsibility, and that recognizes safeguarding its biodiversity today as an investment in a future where life flourishes, and where the sea remains a source of beauty, abundance, and a living testament to humanity’s awareness of the value of the natural blessings it holds.