Bahrain has joined an international initiative to safeguard the dugong population in the region, it has emerged.

The Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a Dugongs Conservation Congress held in Abu Dhabi.

It pledged to co-operate in restoring the species' conservation status, alongside government bodies from Mozambique, Somalia, Vanuatu and Yemen on Sunday.

The new addition of signatories officially brings the number of member states to 18 countries, said event organisers.

Public commission director Dr Adel Al Zayani signed the MoU, launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) under the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS).

Member states will be asked to implement the conservation and management plan, which will be finalised on the last day of the congress on Wednesday.

The MoU also facilitates the exchange of information and co-operation with relevant organisations and experts for mutual support, said organisers.

It allows involved countries to promote their achievements in the efforts for dugong conservation in the official website www.cms.int.

The agreement also gives international credibility for co-operating with other states in global and regional dugong conservation efforts as well as access to international network, which includes more than 40 states.

The congress, which is the first official signatory state meeting, was attended by representatives from the Unep, CMS as well as international government officials, scientists, researchers and experts on marine mammals.

It is reported that there are around 100,000 dugongs left in the world, with 7,300 in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea.-TradeArabia News Service