Remi Ketchum, a final year American university student based in the UAE is helping to conserve the marine life of the Arabian Gulf waters by conducting a fascinating project.

The project, investigates how fish species adapt to and mix in the hot and saline Arabian Gulf waters.

The project, includes three varieties of fish that are popularly sold in the UAE , namely the two-bar sea bream ,the  hamour and the angel fish .

It involves first obtaining tissue samples of the species followed by their genetic analysis .

If fish populations from different waters breed between themselves, their chances of survival are automatically increased ,meaning that the replenishment of a species is possible in one area even if they are endangered in another.

The study will also focus on the causes of the resilience of fish like a change in physiology or genetic adaptation in Gulf regions that are characterized by extreme salinity and frequent temperature fluctuations would provide information on what could help preserve these species.

She says ?Global warming is increasing water temperatures everywhere, and the very hot, very saline waters of the Arabian Gulf could be a model of what reefs look like in future. So, finding out what makes fish resilient here — a change in physiology or genetic adaptation — could also shed light on what could help preserve other marine organisms,?

The student, whose project is set for completion next year hopes that her efforts will promote marine conservation to a higher priority level, something she lays great importance on as she believes that there is a huge potential for prioritization of conservation efforts in the Gulf.