Publisher :
Place of publication :
Publication year : 0
Thematic : Environmental Education
Language : English
Note
1. To monitor any impacts to coral reefs related to the exponential growth of tourism in the South Sinai region
of the Egyptian Red Sea, nine stations were established at key reef sites over 2002–2003. At each station coral
cover was determined using a video survey method at depths of 3, 7 and 16 m, and fish abundance by underwater
visual census at depths of 3 and 10 m.
2. Mean total coral cover (hard plus soft) ranged from 58% to 23% at 3m, 50% to 14% at 7m, and 52% to
13% at 16 m, and hard coral cover from 37.5% to 15.7% at 3m, 32.8% to 7.0% at 7m, and 17.8% to 2.2% at
16 m. Analyses confirmed differences in coral assemblage related to depth and wave exposure.
3. Fish abundances and assemblages also varied with depth and proximity of deep water. Also the one site
subject to fishing had lower abundances of some commercial fish families and greater abundances of some
herbivores.
4. Transects subject to greater tourist use did not segregate from those subject to less tourist use, despite
evidence from other work of an effect from visitor damage to corals at some sites. This may be because visitors
were more attracted to sites that had higher coral cover.
5. Comparison of the present data with that from past studies is difficult because of the differences in sites and
method employed, but several observations suggest a moderate decline in coral cover during recent decades. Such
a decline would be compatible with the recorded impact of an outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster
planci, as well as with other evidence of accumulating damage by visitors.
6. Further monitoring using the same stations and consistent protocols is urgently required.
Go to source
Keywords : Podocarpus costalis
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
