CAIRO: An Egyptian environmental NGO has said coral reefs in the Red Sea are continuing to face bleaching that threatens their survival. The Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Agency (HEPCA) reported last month that there was “an increased risk of coral bleaching in the Red Sea.” It said that August is a critical month for coral reefs and bleaching as water temperatures rise. “The southern reefs, especially the reefs around Zabargad and Rocky Islands, are under increased risk of coral bleaching,” it said. The environmental group called on dive guides and dive centers to monitor the potential rise in coral bleaching throughout the Red Sea in order to gauge the damage to the natural marine life. “Coral bleaching is a natural response to environmental stress where the coral expel its zooxanthellae, the coral then turns white or transparent as it is the zooxanthellae which give the coral its color,” HEPCA said, explaining coral bleaching. “If the conditions which caused the corals to bleach abate, the corals can survive, however if the zooxanthellae are not regained the coral will starve and die.” The report comes as worries continue to rise over the health of Egypt's Red Sea coastline and its coral reefs, once pristine and untouched, but in recent years has seen a decline due to the rising number of divers in the area and poor environmental protection. There are some ways that we can combat the deterioration of these reefs. Here in Egypt, these are 5 ways to do just that: Take tourism seriously and be conscience of your surroundings. Much of the problems of tourism lies in a lack of education. If we continue to believe that the earth is our playground, tourists polluting the waters will have adverse affects on marine life. What needs to happen is take some time to read up on the place you are traveling, learn about the ecosystem and then attempt to be a part of that biosystem. On the Red Sea, garbage being tossed into the water is a major player in the destruction of the country's beautiful diving areas and coral reefs. Understand what you are looking at, it's temporary Stop grabbing, breaking and disregarding marine animals home. One of the greatest contributors to reef destruction, says Andrew Smith – a biologist at an Australian conservation organization focusing on the Great Barrier Reef's destruction – is people breaking pieces of the reef during dives. This, he argues, “is why certain areas become sick and die because they do not have the time to recuperate after so many people destroy only small areas. It is a major problem." Here in Egypt, with little government oversight on diving, too often do divers do whatever they want when among the reef. Don't over do it Sure, it's beautiful, but when you overstep your boundaries, and dive in without proper equipment and clothing, this hurts the ecosystem around. Don't go swimming with your clothes on, take a proper cleansing shower beforehand and stay in small groups. One diving instructor in Dahab on the Sinai coast, said that sometimes operators get over excited about taking in a large number of people into one area. “This is destructive because just like our homes, the marine life can get overly stressed by too many people in the water at one time." Speak out against the oil companies Oil slicks occur so frequently in the Red Sea that a number of observers argue that in the coming few decades, dolphins, sharks and other essential marine life, including reefs, will be drenched in oil to the point they cannot survive. The Egyptian government does little to combat and regulate this industry and its off-shore drilling, although ministries are looking into the matter this year, so it is time for people step up and engage the oil companies on their actions that are detrimental to marine life. Tell others of your experience The best way to educate is not to protest, but instead to tell others – your friends and family – what you saw while diving in the Red Sea. Show them photographs and explain the experience so they can understand what could happen in the next four decades. If you want your grandchildren to have the same opportunities and experiences as you did, it is time to start telling people what a wonderful place the Red Sea is and how endangered it is becoming.
