Hardly any stretch of the northern Caspian Sea coastline is left pristine, and Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman shores are threatened by human activity and urban development.
Iran boasts over 5,800 kilometers of shoreline which extend across the northern and southern borders; however, inefficient management and inaction have left the valuable lands under the destructive hands of man, IRNA reported.
More popular with travelers, especially from the capital, the northern coasts have suffered greater damage.
"Over the past four decades, more than 80% of the Caspian shorelines have been occupied by state and non-state organizations and public facilities, leaving the area with almost no natural landscape," said Shahram Fadakar, director of the Marine Environment Office at the Department of Environment.
Fadakar noted that the Miankaleh area in Golestan Province and Boujagh National Park in Gilan Province, both under DOE jurisdiction, are among the rare untouched parts of the Caspian coastlines that are still home to natural ecosystems.
South Coasts at Risk
The condition of southern coasts is more promising since not much of the area has been compromised yet. However, the introduction of development projects, such as the Makran development scheme, is raising concerns among environmentalists.
"Southern shorelines are at times victimized by different marine development projects under the false pretext that the areas on land are home to no biodiversity," Fadakar lamented.
He stressed that projects should be located at a certain distance from the shoreline.
"Those in charge can also define a buffer zone for the seashore to hold construction developments at bay," he said.
Fadakar regretted that projects in some cases have gone too far to even shallow tidal shores, obviously not conforming to construction safety regulations, let alone environmental reservations.
DOE Role
Pointing to the necessity of legal bounds to keep development projects in check, Fadakar suggested expanding DOE's mandate for the purpose. So far, the shared responsibility by the Ports and Maritime Organization, Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization and the DOE, have let to the incoherent management of the country's coastlines, he said.
"Shorelines are the connecting lines of two substantially different ecosystems which are unfortunately exposed to human encroachment from both sides. More integrated management can help alleviate the pressure."
He also pointed out that since the DOE does not allow any activity which can potentially endanger the environment to go ahead unless it ensures adherence to all the required standards, it is capable of performing a more efficient management once given increased authority.
Reportedly, since the establishment of marine environment and the coastal wetlands offices at the DOE in 2005, the department has been legally responsible for zoning the not-so-wide coastal areas currently under its management for development projects.
Furthermore, after the parliament's approval of the bill on protecting and revival of wetlands, all the coastal wetlands, which comprise a major part of shallow coastal waters, have fallen within the DOE's purview.
Currently, Hara forests of Qeshm, Naiband National Park in Bushehr Province, Miankaleh area and Gorgan Bay in Golestan Province and Boujagh National Park in Gilan Province are under DOE's direct control. "That means in case of any violation or destruction, the organization will independently and with full authority pursue the case," Fadakar said.
Lagging Behind Littoral States
Persian Gulf neighboring countries such as Qatar and Bahrain have tended to construct artificial islands to compensate for their limited access to the Persian Gulf shorelines.
"However, they have met environment standards in order not to pose danger to the marine ecosystem," Fadakar said.
Pointing to the Caspian Sea shores, Fadakar said Iran has violated and manipulated the coastlines more than other four Caspian littoral states.
The official hoped new policies will be worked out to avert further destruction of the valuable areas in the country.
