Egypt moved to guard what scientists regard as one of many world’s final nice coral strongholds on Thursday, 4 December, designating your complete Nice Fringing Reef within the Pink Sea as a marine protected space.
Skirting the Egyptian Pink Sea shoreline, the Nice Fringing Reef encompasses practically 44 islands and is a world biodiversity hotspot. The choice, introduced by Minister of Native Growth and Performing Minister of Surroundings Manal Awad, goals to safeguard biodiversity and promote sustainable improvement.
The designation of the Reef as a protected space, issued beneath Mostafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister’s Decree No. 4419 of 2025, expands Egypt’s nature reserve boundaries on official maps and duties the governors of the Pink Sea and South Sinai to supervise new conservation and administration measures.
It additionally gives a robust authorized framework for conservation beneath the Regulation No 102 of 1983 for Nature Protectorates, Professor Mahmoud Hanafy, Chief Scientist on the Hurghada Environmental Safety and Conservation Affiliation (HEPCA), advised Egyptian Streets.
The 2000-kilometer-long coral reef is described as “nice” for being one of many longest fringing reefs worldwide, that are coral reefs that develop straight from the shoreline, in addition to its resilience within the face of local weather change, Hanafy defined.
Many scientists recommend that by the top of the century, coral reefs as ecosystems will disappear from Earth.
“However Egypt’s reef may survive,” Hanafy acknowledged, saying that there’s clear scientific proof that the Nice Fringing Reef may very well be one of many final coral refuges on the earth. With expectations to point out higher tolerance to warming waters and heightened acidification in contrast with most corals elsewhere on the planet, the Pink Sea corals are a “hope spot” for the long run.
A teeming sanctuary of corals, fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals, the annual capital of the Nice Fringing Reef is about USD 7 billion (EGP 330 million) from diving and snorkelling-related actions, one of many highest reef revenues worldwide, including financial significance to its world ecological significance.
The Egyptian Pink Sea is dwelling to 325 forms of reef fish, of which 17 p.c are endemic species to the Pink Sea.
With Egypt’s new declaration, all consumptive use of biodiversity within the space of the coral reef system could be prohibited, which means nobody must be allowed to fish there, Hanafy mentioned.
“The financial worth of a [reef] fish alive is far increased than its worth as a catch,” he harassed. One instance could be sharks.
A shark as a vacationer attraction garners round 200,000 USD a yr, whereas its worth as catch ranges between 150-300 USD, based on Hanafy, who acknowledged that continued fishing will scale back the resilience of the reef and its corals, thus lowering its financial worth.
Because the reef ecosystem continues to be threatened by human actions, Hanafy requires sustainable tourism rules. He emphasised the necessity to set up and monitor clear greatest practices for figuring out what he calls the reef’s “carrying capability” for non-consumptive makes use of of biodiversity. This consists of setting limits on the variety of divers, tour boats, gear, and different actions allowed within the space at any given time.
Encouraging tourism that doesn’t hurt the ecosystem, Hanafy emphasised a collaborative administration mannequin during which the tourism sector, together with inns, leisure boats, and tour operators, actively participates in conservation efforts and ensures that guests comply with greatest practices.
This method includes the non-public sector working with the Egyptian authorities and the Ministry of Surroundings, and growing a community of designated individuals for the care of marine protected areas.
By treating conservation as a “win-win scenario” to each conservationists and the tourism business, Hanafy mentioned, the method makes defending the reef economically engaging. Guaranteeing the reef’s well being safeguards the long-term worth of tourism investments.
As coral reef programs proceed to deteriorate globally, particularly within the tropics, Hanafy mentioned the world may attract much more divers sooner or later.
Elevate your perspective with NextTech Information, the place innovation meets perception.
Uncover the most recent breakthroughs, get unique updates, and join with a world community of future-focused thinkers.
Unlock tomorrow’s developments right this moment: learn extra, subscribe to our publication, and turn into a part of the NextTech neighborhood at NextTech-news.com
