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  Kaio Island  Kaio Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | South Asia |
| Coordinates | 25°01′50″N 66°41′17″E / 25.03056°N 66.68806°E |
| Archipelago | Churna–Kaio Islands |
| Adjacent to | Arabian Sea |
| Area | 1.15 ha (2.8 acres) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Kaio Island is an uninhabited, rocky island in the Churna–Kaio Islands in the Arabian Sea, approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) west of the coast of Gadani, Pakistan. It is also known as Chota Churna[1] or Little Churna, referring to the larger Churna Island which is about 16 km (9.9 mi) to the southwest. There are also a number of smaller rocky outcrops near to Kaio and along the coast towards Churna.
Environment
editIn 1991 the Government of Pakistan invited tenders for the construction of a coal-fired power plant on Kaio.[2] This plan was approved by the World Bank as a way of improving the energy shortage of the country but recommended to wait until the nearby Hubco power plant was finalised.[3] However, the power plant was never built.
The island and the surrounding waters have a high level of biodiversity, hosting coral reefs,[4] and various whale species.[5] In September 2010 there was an organised clean-up of the waters around the island as part of International Reef Cleaning Day.[6]
The island is a regular location for fishing, with sports fishing contests being held there and other nearby locations in 2008 and 2011.[7][1]
There are various threats to their ecosystem including the large nearby Gadani Ship Breaking Yard,[4][5] the incorrect disposal of fishing equipment,[8] and an increase in snorkelling and diving by tourists.[9] For these reasons, the islands were declared an "Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Area" by the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2016.[10]
In 2021 the Pakistan Ministry of Maritime Affairs reiterated the need to protect environmentally sensitive areas like the island.[11] The provincial Government of Balochistan has made plans to "develop other tourist spots like Kaio".[12]
In April 2024, local fishermen reported seeing a blue whale in the waters around the island. This was seen as an encouraging sign for the biodiversity of the area by the Pakistani branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "Habibullah, Ambreen excel". Dawn (newspaper). 17 October 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ^ "08Mar91 Pakistan: Tenders wanted for turnkey contract on coal fired power station". Construction News. 8 March 1991. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "The World Bank Archives: Operations Committee records of the Chairman (Moeen Qureshi)" (PDF). The World Bank. 1991. p. 109. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ a b "EBSAs to inform application for IMO Measures" (PDF). Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ a b Iqbal, Kanwar Muhammad Javed; Heidegger, Patrizia (June 2014). "Pakistan Shipbreaking Outlook" (PDF). Sustainable Development Policy Institute and NGO Shipbreaking Platform. p. 37. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan observes International Reef Cleaning Day". Dawn (newspaper). 28 September 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ "Naved wins TAS 2008 Sportfishing contest". Dawn (newspaper). 23 October 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Abandoned fishing gear an "immortal menace" which must be central in the fight against plastic pollution: WWF Report". World Wide Fund for Nature–Pakistan. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "The Concept of Ecosystem Ecology". University of Sargodha. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ "Report of the Conference Of The Parties To The Convention On Biological Diversity on its Thirteenth Conference" (PDF). Convention on Biological Diversity. 4–17 December 2016. p. 87. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Alex. "The Blue Economy in Pakistan: Opportunities and Challenges" (PDF). Ministry of Maritime Affairs (Government of Pakistan). Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ "Balochistan Comprehensive Development and Growth Strategy (BCDGS) 2021-2026" (PDF). United Nations Development Program. p. 122. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ Ilyas, Faiza (9 April 2024). "Giant blue whale sighted off Gadani coast". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 1 November 2024.