The HEPCA Times
Added to website: 27 November 2005
Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) has been invited by the competent authorities in coral reef management along the Red Sea Coastline to commence a three-month pilot project in Southern Egypt in 2006.
The ‘Red Sea Coral Reef Conservation Pilot Project’ will begin in February 2006 and is a partnership between CCC Expeditions, the EEAA - Egyptian Environmental Affairs Association (the authority responsible for the conservation of coral reef resources within the Red Sea Governorate) and HEPCA.
The proposed survey region is the fringing reefs and pinnacles supporting reefal development accessed from Marsa Alam. This area is rich in relatively unspoilt reef systems but is potentially threatened by anthropogenic damage caused by uncontrolled and unmitigated development. The impacting agents include increased loading of nutrients resulting from inappropriate waste water handling facilities, the inundation of the reef systems with sediments mobilised by near-shore construction and land reclamation activities. Additionally an active tourism industry with poor operations management can directly damage reefs by inappropriate anchoring practices and physical contact by divers and snorkellers.
Survey results from the programme will highlight areas of key biodiversity and hence provide a scientific rationale for future ecosystem management to meet the dual needs of economic development and biodiversity conservation.
On successful completion of the pilot programme a two-year study is envisaged. In addition to surveys, the project will focus on in-country capacity building through the CCC Scholarship Programme, training courses in Best Practice Tourism Operations and technical capacity building courses as required by Government Agencies and Higher Education Institutes in the region.
The project will be officially launched by the Egyptian Governor, members of the Egyptian Cabinet, HEPCA board members and senior delegates from CCC and in mid-December, Hurghada.
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