BLUE News
image: Deniz Aymer
Top sightings on Red Sea reefs
Whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, hammerhead sharks and seahorses
are among many sightings reported by divers across the Red Sea this
year. The main resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh have seen
most of the underwater action in 2009, with near-daily sightings of big
animals since May.
Emperor Divers and Ilios Dive Club in Hurghada said guests are being
treated to virtually guaranteed encounters with dolphins and seahorses
on dayboat trips. In Sharm el Sheikh, dive guides are reporting huge
number sightings of manta rays off the area’s local reefs.
Sharm-based Red Sea Diving College said its guests had reported a
whole raft of exciting sightings, particularly in the last week of May.
These included a hammerhead shark off local reef Amphoras and
leopard ray, guitar shark and dolphins in the Ras Mohammed National
Park.
Manta sighted off Tower, Sharm el Sheikh, May 2009
Many of the main centres are recording their sightings to help marine
conservation organisations, such as the Shark Trust, which is appealing
image: James Dawson
for all divers to report shark and ray sightings to help global research
programmes. The UK-based charity said its international sightings
database allows divers to share their encounters while also providing
important information on different species to shark researchers around
the world.
‘Your sighting can have a very positive impact on our understanding
of certain species and provide the best available data to support
management considerations to help ensure a sustainable future for
sharks, skates and rays,’ said the Shark Trust. ‘Any sighting or catch of any
wild elasmobranch can be submitted to this database for use in not-for-
profit decision-making, education, research, environmental and other
public-benefit purposes.’
Dive guides and instructors have already been active in reporting
big animal sightings throughout 2009, particularly those around the
northern Egyptian Red Sea. To share your sightings or find out more
information see the Shark Trust Sightings page at
Dolphins encountered in Hurghada this Spring
www.sharktrust.org/sd
CDWS highlights shark fishing ban
Egypt’s Chamber of Diving and Watersports
Skipper training pilot
(CDWS) has taken direct action to inform the
scheme launched
hotel and restaurant industry of the decree which
As part of an Egypt-wide scheme
bans the fishing of sharks in the Red Sea, after a
to increase the diving knowledge
picture of a dead shark taken at a Sharm hotel
of boat operators, the CDWS has
was published on the Internet.
launched a pilot training course
for 50 skippers in late June/early
The CDWS immediately contacted the
July. The pilot course will train
management of the Sea Club Resort in Sharm
skippers from a mix of diving day
El Sheikh about the ban when a photograph on
boats and sports boats, and will
the Internet social network site Facebook was
include internationally recognised
brought to its attention. The picture shows staff
seamanship skills, emergency first
at the Sea Club Resort hotel pouring water over
aid response and environmental
the dead black tip shark on display in front of its endangered species. The decree was issued
awareness.
guests. following appeals from local underwater groups
and conservationists.
Following the pilot this summer,
Information was also sent out about the ban to
the course will then be evaluated
the Egyptian Hotel Association and the Egyptian The decree no. 8 for 2005 issued by the head
and introduced in 2010 as a
Chamber of Tourist Establishments by the CDWS of the General Authority for Fish Resources
compulsory course for CDWS
to help prevent similar incidents in the future. Development in Egypt states the ban on fishing
members. All the courses will
and trading of Sharks in the Red Sea. Violation
be heavily subsidised as part
Shark populations throughout the world are of the ban will result in people being subject to
of the commitment to improve
under threat from over-fishing and the Egyptian prosecution according to Law 12 for 198.
knowledge and safety standards
Red Sea is one of the only places where a The CDWS is appealing to its members to inform
throughout the watersports
total ban has been introduced to help protect the organisation of any other similar violations.
industry in Egypt.
6
www.cdws.travel
Issue 1 June 2009
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