evidence: A narrow strip (58 km) of the northern coast of the Arabian/Persian Gulf belongs to Iraq1. The area is dominated by the large swampy river delta of the rivers Euphrates, Tigris and Karun, merging into the Shatt al-Arab that represents the main outflow in the Arabian/Persian Gulf. Its water is not only sediment-loaded but it is also often oil-polluted. The sediment particles are distributed throughout the Gulf by strong winds and currents generated during winter. The seasonally varying turbidity near the delta and along part of the Iranian coast is the reason for the hypothesized absence of coral reefs in this region2. Furthermore, it is accepted that the Coriolis effect deflects the Shatt al-Arab river plume towards Kuwait and suppresses reef growth there. Reefs along the Kuwait mainland are only found at Ras az Zaur in southern Kuwait and on the southern offshore islands (Kubbar, Qaro and Umm Al-Maradim)3. The last of Kuwait's coastal fringing reefs, which probably did extend in the recent past as far north as Ra's al-Ardh, is currently under threat from large-scale urban and industrial development4.