Während meines Aufenthaltes im Juni 2008 am Roten Meer habe ich festgestellt, dass es sehr schwierig ist, Ökonomie und Ökologie in Einklang zu bringen. Die schwierige Situation am Roten Meer und weltweit habe ich im folgendem Text darzustellen versucht.
Restricted areas, the only sustainable approach for the protection of environment?
Summary: Coral reefs in many places of the Red Sea are threatened with anthropogenic impacts. It is a worldwide problem that there exists a fatal correlation (competition) between environment protection and strong economic interests (well-known conflict between ecology and economy). Restricted areas can only achieve a sustainable preservation of natural heritage of mankind. The protection of such areas must be enforced by effective and powerful control mechanisms and manpower of the local government and international financial and idealistic support.
My 3 weeks stay in El Quseir in June 2008 prompted me to think about the environmental problems of this part of the earth. Similar considerations can be performed on many places in the world. On the basis of my research stays over several months each in developing countries in India, China and Ecuador compared with long term stays in industry countries like the USA and Russia (former Sowjet Union) I try to evaluate the situation in El Quseir, Southern Egypt.
In Ecuador I acted as a referee for the Deutsche Entwicklungsdienst for an Amazon research station (rain forest) and a Condor project (in the Andes cordilleras) of Dr.Friedemann Köster, who was the director of the Galapagos Research Station, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galapagos over 6 years. For details click at the left frame of my home page, where also my curriculum vitae can be found.
In El Qusier the Mövenpick-resort is nicely situated on a natural bay with still vital coral reefs. Within the area of Mövenpick the SUBEX scuba diving basis is located. Mövenpick earned a medal for support of environment. SUBEX examines in so called Welcome Dives the behavior, knowledge and experiences also of divers with international brevier (PADI or CMAS).
Only after this 1 hour examination they will get the permission to dive as independent divers (1 person plus buddy without guide). It should especially be mentioned that during five slots (8-10, 10-12, 12-14, 14-17:30 o'clock) up till 20 divers per slot only are allowed to enter the water. This means that the bay and the rimb of the reef will not be overcrowded as it is the case in other places of the Red Sea.
SUBEX limits the number of divers, although the profit will be reduced (This fact must be pointed out as an outstanding positive strategy). In addition a special zone near the beach without corals is reserved for swimming and snorkeling. Divers and snorkeling people are advised not to touch anything (especially fishes or corals) and not to climb on the reef roof. The situation in El Quseir is a promising compromise between environment protection and economic interests. So the situation is much
better than in the more northern parts of the Red Sea near Hurghada and Dahab.
Within Mövenpick-resort also the office of RSEC, a non-profit organization for the protection of the environment of the Red Sea, founded by Dr. Robert Hofrichter, Salzburg, Austria, an international well-known marine biologist and the marine biologist Christian Alter is established.
Strong impacts on environment are correlated with at least 3 factors:
a ) garbage recycling
b) fishing on or near the reefs
c) number and behavior of uninformed tourists
To a) in the desert behind the hotels the local people place garbage into the desert. You will find also a lot of garbage in the city (see foto below). By the wind plastic bags will be blown into the sea, cover the corals and kill them. Other garbage contains rests of substances, which are toxic for the marine life. An early education in environment protection of the local people (starting from small child) is an absolute necessity for sustainable development. On their way from and to the Suez channel ships throw their waste into the sea including plastic material and even much more worse heavy oil or tar. Both will be found on reefs and the beach. Hotels offer Gasoline at the beach to remove the tar (see foto below). However, this method is absolutely unacceptable. Gasoline contains toxic and even cancerogenic substances and will contaminate large quantaties of water in even small amounts.
To b) local fisherman catch fishes close to the reefs for the restaurants (officially not allowed). Tourists do not realized that they eat fishes, which they expect to see by snorkeling or diving
To c) too many uninformed, untrained, careless and even stupid tourists enter the water and the reef roof. In my opinion an information of local people and tourists alone about the risks is not sufficient for the protection of environment. The only way to save world heritage
places is the establishment of restricted areas, which can be entered with special permission only. Even scientists must apply for such permissions. Therefore Galapagos-archipelago can be considered as a milestone and example in environment protection (although many problems are not solved). The whole territory was declared as UNESCO World natural heritage of mankind. Certain areas of Galapagos never will be entered by tourists. However, the large marine territory within and around the Galapagos islands is difficult to control efficiently. One warship of the Ecuador marine military is not sufficient to prevent foreign ships to enter the archipelago. It is well known that for the Asian market the fins of sharks are cut off and the still living animals are thrown back into the sea. In Hong-Kong one pays for a shark-fin soup over 100 Dollar.
To prevent a disaster latest in 5 years also restricted areas must be declared for the Red Sea, for example 20 km without any hotel followed by 10 km under strict control and again followed by 20 km hotel- and
garbage-free zone and so on until the Sudan boarder.
Even in Galapagos revolution-like protests of local fishermen take place every year who demonstrate against a seasonal limitation of catching sea cucumbers in large numbers, which they sell for extremely good money as aphrodisiacs for the Asian market. On the other hand it must be found a possibility that the income of the local people can be compensated by other sources to prevent illegal fishing. On my way (180 km) from El Qusier to Hurghada I saw many hotels under construction, industry
buildings and depots of oil companies close to the sea. It is an open question if all waste will be prevented to reach the sea. However, not only a strict control of the coast and beach is essential, but also the monitoring of the sea. Ships discarding garbage or oil remains into the sea must be under punishable offence (fine and/or prison). I know that it is nearly impossible to prevent such illegal actions. Only by airplanes and their frequent operations those ships could be detected during daytime
with tremendous costs. This is perhaps not possible in the next time. Concerning motivation of local people and information of tourists to make them sensible for environment protection one can observe promising approaches.
In cooperation with the government several organizations are engaged to improve the situation. I like to mention Mövenpick-resort in El Quiseir, SUBEX Diving Center, HEPCA and Red Sea Environmental Center (RSEC) in Dahab and El Quseir. However, tourists are hardly to activate mentally during their well-deserved holidays. In several discussions I found out that many persons dislike to be confronted with local and worldwide
problems and to participate in talks and movies. They even don't understand and accept connections to other regions in the world or/and don't care for worldwide impacts seen in Galapagos, Red Sea, the rain forests, Seychelles and elsewhere. A change in thinking and behavior of the majority cannot be expected in short time.
Therefore, as I mentioned above, the only sustainable solution of the problem will be the establishment of restricted zones in form of national parks. The control must be enforced by well trained guides or rangers. In Galapagos the guides must pass an extensive examination after a 3 years study at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
Garbage in the City of El Quseir.
Gasoline spray bottle at the beach for the tourists to remove tar from the skin.
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