V. Current Human Impacts

Due to its relative size, limited oceanographic circulation and high endemism, the Red Sea is vulnerable to pollution, loss of species, and its productivity as an ecosystem. The key environmental threats are all human induced and include: overfishing, oil pollution, and diving tourism.

Overfishing via net-fishing in the Red Sea has destroyed the fish population, while the same form of fishing continues to destroy the Red Sea's ecosystems, endangering coral reefs and the multitude of marine life. Fisherman from the Red Sea use techniques that have negative effects on local marine resources. Information indicates that these fishermen use nets with narrow holes, which capture fingerlings and other marine life along with mature fish, while cases of fishing with dynamite, electric currents, and, more commonly, poisons, have been reported.

Another impact that is human inflicted became evident when research was conducted during 1966, 1968, and 1972 on coral reef flats south of Eliat (Red Sea). This research attributes pollution to the cause of changing numbers of living coral colonies.  A fact to note is that an oil terminal as well as a mineral and phosphate loading harbor was constructed in 1965 just north of the Nature Coral Reserve. Consequently, there was a high mortality of corals during these years.

Table 1. During the initial stage of research-the years between 1966 and 1968-45% of the living coral colonies within the transect, were destroyed. [1]   


From January 1971 until March 1972, 28 large and small spills occurred in this region, and in turn, the area that once flourished with a diverse coral community, began to appear brown-gray, covered by algae and tiny soft sediment. 

[1]

Another research was conducted to assess the patterns of dive frequency, diver behavior and coral damage on selected reefs at Eilat, in order to determine impacts of diving tourism.

Field observations of diver behavior revealed 10 incidents of reef contact per dive, mostly via raising of sediments onto the reef, but also involving direct breakage of corals. Observations of SCUBA divers revealed high frequencies of behaviors that potentially damage the coral reef. Divers were observed frequently to contact the reef with their fins and to raise sediment onto corals, while some were observed to actually break corals (Fig. 3). It was estimated that on a typical SCUBA dive of 60 min at 4–8 m depth, each recreational diver broke 1.70±4.90 corals and raised 9.40±11.90 sediment clouds onto the reef.  Based off these findings, current rates of recreational diving on some reefs at Eilat are unsustainable, resulting in damage to the majority of stony coral colonies.

[2]

[1]   Fishelson, Lev. "Ecology of Coral Reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) Influenced by Pollution." Oecologia 12.1 (1973): 55-67. Print.

[2]   Zakai, D., and N. Chadwickfurman. "Impacts of Intensive Recreational Diving on Reef Corals at Eilat, Northern Red Sea."Biological Conservation 105.2 (2002): 179-87. Print.

[3]"Endangered Species: Egypt's Coral Reefs." Al-Masry Al-Youm. 28 Oct. 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. <http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/