Diving captain and photographer Yazan Al-Saad captured a striking marine scene featuring a dense school of small fish at the TriStar aircraft wreck dive site off the southern coast of Aqaba. The scene highlights the diversity of marine life in the Gulf of Aqaba and the appeal of its diving sites.
اضافة اعلان
The footage shows the fish moving together in a cohesive formation that appears to the observer like a single organism, reflecting the collective behaviour exhibited by some marine species.
Al-Saad said the scene’s beauty lies in the density of the school and the coordinated movement of the fish. He noted that documenting such details allows the public to discover aspects of underwater life that can often only be seen during diving trips.
He added that underwater photography can help raise awareness of the importance of protecting marine life. He also stressed the need to observe marine creatures from a safe distance and avoid touching, chasing or disturbing them in an attempt to capture photographs.
The fish shown in the footage are believed to be striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus), a species whose juveniles are known to form dense, tightly coordinated schools. However, definitive identification would require specialist examination of the footage.
The species has venomous spines on its dorsal and pectoral fins that can cause painful stings. This makes it important to avoid touching or attempting to catch the fish and to limit interactions to observation and photography without getting too close.
Meanwhile, Nasser Al-Zawaida, director of the Aqaba Marine Reserve, said the footage highlights the beauty of the reserve and the Gulf of Aqaba, as well as the diversity of marine species and habitats they contain. He emphasised that the value of such scenes extends beyond their visual appeal to raising awareness of the importance of the marine environment and the need to protect it.
Al-Zawaida added that photographs and videos documenting marine life responsibly help promote Aqaba as a marine tourism destination and showcase its distinctive diving sites, which feature coral reefs, sunken wrecks and captivating natural scenery for diving and underwater photography enthusiasts.
He noted that promoting these attractions should go hand in hand with encouraging responsible diving practices, including complying with conservation guidelines, refraining from touching or feeding marine creatures, and avoiding damage to coral reefs or disturbance to wildlife in its natural habitats.
He stressed that divers and photographers play an important role in supporting awareness and tourism promotion by documenting marine biodiversity, provided their work carries a clear message encouraging people to enjoy the beauty of the Gulf of Aqaba while protecting its marine environment.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Ahmad Al-Rawashdeh
