BLUE News
Multi-million EU fund
for marine parks
The South Sinai National Park has
received 5.3 million Euros from the
European Union which will fund
patrol boats to monitors areas
around Dahab, Taba and Nuweiba
as well as install new moorings. The
multi-million Euro grant will pay for
fi ve new boats and allow the park to
employ more wardens.
One large boat will be used for
research and mooring installations,
while fi ve smaller speed boats will
be operating between Taba and
Sharm el Sheikh to help monitor
The survey identifi ed the area as ideal for
areas facing threats such as illegal
New sites open in Ras training and introductory dives as it comprises
fi shing. Park authorities have already
Mohammed
sloping sandy patches peppered with healthy
met with the South Sinai Governor
coral pinnacles, table corals, soft corals and
to put forward proposals, such as a
Nine new dives sites are being opened within rocky sections. The area slopes gradually,
ban on net fi shing along the entire
the Ras Mohammed National Park, as part of a from depths of 6m to 50m and is generally
coast and measures to stop the use
phased plan to ease pressure on local sites in sheltered from the wind.
of destructive fi shing techniques.
Sharm el Sheikh. The move to open more sites
Dive instructors Francesco Germi, Deniz
suitable for training and introductory dives
‘We’ve been trying to move further
Aymer and Sven Kreische recorded a variety
is the fi rst part of a project which will see the
north from Sharm for at least fi ve
of marine life over the three-day survey,
closure of well-known areas such as Ras Katy
years and the new funds will allow us
including eagle rays, emperorfi sh, glassfi sh,
to divers.
to do this,’ said South Sinai National
blue-spotted stingrays, jackfi sh, moray eels
Park director, Dr Mohammed Salem.
Ras Katy is an area popular for training dives, and barracuda.
however, increased surface traffi c in the area,
Established in 1983, the South Sinai
Dr Mohammed Salem, director of National
most notably glass bottom boats, has led
National Park protects and manages
Park South Sinai Protectorates said: ‘This
to safety fears for divers. The CDWS and Ras
the natural marine resources around
move will help the environment by taking
Mohammed National Park have insisted any
the Sinai, covering areas in the Gulf
pressure of places, such as Ras Katy and
moves to close Ras Katy to divers between
of Aqaba from Ras Mohammed in
Temple. They [new sites] are sandy, safe and
the hours of 10am and 5pm will only be
the south to Taba. From its inception
have attractive coral heads.’
announced once the new sites have been
it received funding from the EU for
installed with all moorings. Proposals for closures include 10am to 5pm
training and equipment. However,
diver exclusion at Ras Katy in the summer
this funding scheme ended in
The new sheltered sites, located over a 2km
months and 10am to 4pm in the winter. Safari
2003/04.
area between Travco Marina and Marsa
boats will still be permitted to conduct early
Ghozlani dive site will each have three
The Egyptian government took
morning dives and night dives outside of
moorings and in total will accommodate up
over and the park received what
these hours.
to 30 boats. The sites were chosen following
it needed to pay salaries, buy
a detailed survey of the area by the national Near Garden is another site which may be
equipment and cover general
park and CDWS together with a team of open only to watersports and not divers. Plans
running costs. The new boost in
experienced local divers from Sharm-based are yet to be fi nalised and all CDWS members
funding will now enable it to expand
Camel Dive Club. will be informed once these have been
its projects further afi eld.
offi cially agreed to by authorities
The park has already installed ten
new moorings in Dahab, including
the new dive sites will be ideal for teaching
the Um Sid and Islands dive site.
More moorings will be installed
following the purchase of the new
vessels.
‘A letter of complaint was sent to
governor of the South Sinai about
the lack of moorings,’ said Dr Salem.
‘The letter was then sent to me.
The plan is to eventually install 13
moorings, but we started with ten
in December. We are also looking at
installations in Taba and Nuweiba,
which should help to ease pressure
on the coral reefs in these areas.’
8 www.cdws.travel
Issue 5 March - April ‘10
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