Fish tanks! Lebanon dumps armoured vehicles into the Mediterranean in a bid to boost marine life 

Fish tanks! Lebanon dumps armoured vehicles into the Mediterranean in a bid to boost marine life

  • Scientists unload tanks into the water in order to allow the flourishing of algae 
  • Artificial reefs built using disused military vehicles as well as Army steel beds 
  • Push is in response to damage caused by over-fishing and rising temperatures  

Conservationists are dumping tanks in the sea to create an artificial reef that will help marine life the thrive.

Military vehicles are among those being set in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Lebanon, where vans and buses have also been put under water.

Environmentalists sink them in order for algae, coral and bacteria to flourish with the aim of attracting egg-laying fish.

Tanks are placed in the sea in order to allow algae to flourish in the hope that it will restore the natural marine life 

Tanks are used alongside other vehicles and military scrap metal to create artificial reefs in the region 

Tanks are used alongside other vehicles and military scrap metal to create artificial reefs in the region 

The floating crane lowers a tank into the sea off the coast of Lebanon, mirroring methods used near Tripoli 

The floating crane lowers a tank into the sea off the coast of Lebanon, mirroring methods used near Tripoli 

Scientists have been using vehicles to boost sea life in the region since 2012, when Dr Michel Chalhoub from Beirut secured funding to restore beauty to the coast of Tripoli.

Barges and cranes are lowered into the water by cranes. Vehicles are typically placed between 70 and 100 metres from one another.

Activists drop the vehicles about 12km off the coast, sometimes joining them two-by-two, Green Prophet reports. 

Disused Army steel beds as well as marine carriers and natural rock are also dumped.

The armoured vehicle is submerged in the water in a move to restore marine life off the Lebanese coast 

The armoured vehicle is submerged in the water in a move to restore marine life off the Lebanese coast 

Once the tank is below the surface, algae will build, attracting egg-laying fish to the region following recent destruction 

Once the tank is below the surface, algae will build, attracting egg-laying fish to the region following recent destruction 

Decay in the marine life is combated by lowering vehicles into the sea off the coast of Lebanon

Decay in the marine life is combated by lowering vehicles into the sea off the coast of Lebanon

The scientists have also been known to place concrete inside the vans as well as usual natural rock in the artificial reef.  

Developers Nakheel pledged to build hundreds of the reefs off the Gulf Coast to restore water life.  

Rising temperatures, acidification and over-fishing are chief among the causes of the region’s environmental decay.

Disuses military kit is dumped in the water in what scientists term artificial reefs to boost the region's wildlife 

Disuses military kit is dumped in the water in what scientists term artificial reefs to boost the region’s wildlife 

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