Author(s): Michael Barry; Frederic Millet; Fanny Houdre; Tony Mc Alister; Daniel Botelho
Linked Author(s): Daniel Botelho
Keywords: Numerical Modelling; Flushing; Discharge; Robian
Abstract: Robian (formerly the National Prawn Company), Saudi Arabia, is committed to the sustainable management of its aquaculture operations that fringe the Red Sea at Al Lith. To this end, Robian has commissioned BMT WBM to develop a state of the art three dimensional hydrodynamic model of the Red Sea, as well as a detailed ‘nested’model of fringing lagoons and the coastline in the vicinity of its operations. This commission, which demonstrates Robian’s commitment to environmental awareness and an intent to proactively understand and mitigate potential future impacts, was fundamentally focused on managing and protecting a fringing lagoon at Al Lith and near shore coral communities both nearby and to the north of the current Robian operations. This paper describes this novel and innovative numerical modelling study, and presents some of its outcomes. In particular, the paper reports how the results from modelling studies of the lagoon flushing characteristics and proposed aquaculture expansion operations have contributed towards Robian’s management of a sustainable operation.
Year: 2010