One of the most important parts of Iranian natural heritage and environmental treasures is the Persian Gulf.

The gulf is a source of essential nutrition for marine life . However, the number of these species are decreasing rapidly. The threat comes from unlawful and unregulated fishing.

According to the local people, unlicensed fishing boats that operate far from the control of the authorities are creating many new dangers for marine life.

It is necessary to note that the livelihood of the local people all along the Persian Gulf also depend on fishing and the poor economic conditions of the country has increased this dependency. But, it is obvious that the main threat comes from the pollution caused by oil and gas industry that dominates the coast. Using the sea water for refineries and then returning the polluted water and the industrial waste to the sea is yet another cause of serious threat to the environment and marine life in the Persian Gulf