Adib Saad

By Adib Saad and Ilene Mahfoud

The Syrian marine water is one of the least studied areas for cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. Lack of basic knowledge, such as species composition and habitat, makes it impossible to develop effective conservation measures. The survey carried out along the Syrian coast by monitoring the stranding individuals on the shore since 2002 showed that there were 11 species of marine mammals living in/or visiting the Syrian marine waters at present of which 10 species belonging to the cetacean order and on belonging to pinnipeds order. The following species have been recorded: Pseudorca crassidens, Megaptera novaeangliae, Physeter macrocephalus, Tursiops truncatus, Stenella coeruleoalba, Delphinus delphis, Ziphius cavirostris, Grampus griseus, Balaenoptera physalus, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, and Manchus manchus. On the other hand, there are four species whose presence in the Syrian marine waters was mentioned a century ago by the researcher Gruvel and his team during three missions (1929–1931), but neither alive nor dead have been seen in this area during the surveys that were carried out since 1996 until the present, these species are: Phocoena phocoena, Globicephalus melas, Phocoena communis, Hyperoodon rostratus, Balaenoptera musculus. These observations reflect the vulnerability of marine mammals to anthropogenic activities, such as fishing operations, shipping, seismic activities, and climate change.

Part of the book: Marine Mammals

By Adib Saad and Hasan Alkusairy

In this chapter, we review and discuss the cartilaginous species richness in Syrian offshore waters (Eastern Mediterranean coast) through a careful review of published taxonomic studies, historical data on species occurrence, and analysis of scientific surveys carried out over the last 10 years. The revised species produced for the Syrian coast, in this chapter, is debated in the context of current taxonomic disputes and the occurrence of species. Annual catches of each species over two consecutive years are also presented. Threats were estimated based on field surveys and observations conducted during the last three decades, particularly the results of the qualitative composition of the catch and the maturity status of individuals that were carried out during the years 2015–2018; extensively classified conservation measures have also been proposed. We listed a total of 49 species, representing 25 families and 34 genera that are currently present in Syrian marine waters. This number includes 23 species of sharks, 24 batoids (after we considered the species Pristis pectinata an extinct species from the Syrian marine water) and two chimaeras. In addition, the review serves as a reference for future conservation assessments of cartilaginous fishes in the region and a guide for decision-makers when promoting sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources within an ecosystem-based framework.

Part of the book: Sharks

By Adib Saad and Lana Khrema

Biological invasions have posed a major threat to global and regional biodiversity. The Mediterranean, one of the world’s main biodiversity hotspots, has long suffered from multiple and recurrent invasions. Due to the geographical location of Syria on the eastern Mediterranean coast, this chapter includes a historical and recent study over the past hundred years of the biodiversity reality of fish fauna in Syrian marine waters (as a representative part of the Levantine Basin). It also includes the evolution non-native fish species number that migrated to this area, both from the Red Sea (through the Suez Canal) and from its original habitats in both Indian and Pacific Ocean, or from the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar. Then, its spread extended to Syrian territorial waters due to the impact of climate change, which led to environmental changes in the characteristics of the marine waters. An explanation will also be given of the impact of non-indigenous species on native species such as competition for food, ecological niches, and predation, as well as the positive and negative effects on the economy and human health. The consumption of some invasive species, like buffer fish rich in tetrodotoxin, may lead to severe intoxication, sometimes to death.

Part of the book: Marine Ecosystems