Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

2. REGIONAL STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE RED
SEA AND THE GULF OF ADEN
NICOLAS PILCHER AND ABDULLAH ALSUHAIBANY
ABSTRACT
The coral reefs in Djibouti, Eritrea, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen
are generally in good and often pristine condition. Reefs in this region are primarily fringing
reefs along the mainland and island coastlines, along with barrier reefs, pinnacles and atolls
which receive only minor land influences. Many reefs have 30% to 50% live coral cover at
most locations. Coral bleaching caused extensive die-off in the Gulf region and the southern
Red Sea in 1998, and on the Sudanese coasts a red algal film was present over most shallow
reefs. Diversity of corals and other reef fauna is among the highest in the Indian Ocean region.
Major threats to coral reefs include: land-filling and dredging for coastal expansion;
destructive fishing methods; damage by the recreational diving industry; shipping and
maritime activities; sewage and other pollution; lack of public awareness; and insufficient
implementation of legal instruments on reef conservation. A number of international, regional,
bilateral and multilateral agreements and other legal instruments have been adopted by the
countries in this region, and each possesses a relatively complete set of national Laws and
Regulations. However, the implementation of these remains generally poor and in some cases
there is no implementation and enforcement whatsoever. For coral reef conservation to
improve and be effective, there is a need for increased public awareness, increased
enforcement and implementation of national and international legal instruments, and the
implementation of coastal management plans that integrate coastal development, and control
industrial effluents, tourism, for the maintenance of environmental quality of marine habitats.
INTRODUCTION
This report summarises the status of coral reefs in the countries bordering the Red Sea and
the Gulf of Aden. Most of the countries along the Red Sea (Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen) coordinate conservation and management of coral reefs in
this region through the Regional Organisation for the Conservation of the Environment of the
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA). In the Arabian/Persian Gulf region coral reef
conservation is coordinated by the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine
Environment (ROPME). The two institutions cooperate closely under a Memorandum of
Understanding. This report summarises information from publications and reports provided
by people from these countries and the key agencies operating in the region (some are
listed at the end of this chapter). PERSGA is currently developing a Regional Action Plan for
the conservation of reef resources through as part of its Strategic Action Plan. It is envisaged
that the implementation of the Regional Action Plan will address current threats and assist
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