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Interacting with Interacting with the Coral Reef the Coral Reef Daniela Diving CenterDaniela Diving Center

Why do you need to know?

• The coral reef is extremely sensitive

• All contacts with the coral reef are damaging

� Breakage

� Infections

� Interuption of growth

� Interuption of reproduction

� Interuption of recolonisation

A Fringing ReefThis part is alive!!! Don’t walk on it.

This is very old coral skeleton. It is the result of thousands of years of coral growth.

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The Reef Table

• It has a close relationship with the reef slope & reef edge.

• It is NOT a dead zone.

• It is a habitat for juvenile fish.– Juveniles must not be disturbed.

– Their food must not be walked on.

• Walking & sitting on the reef table does a lot of damage

Solution

• Use marked easy entries.

• Swim at high tide when no easy entries.Daniela House Reef

Easy Entry in the 2 lagoons(high tide necessary to swim over the reef flat)

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Biology• A coral is an animal (a polyp) living together in a symbiotic relationship with an algae (zooxanthellae)

• Slow growth rates of corals:

– only 1cm per year in some species.

• It is so easy to break one, destroying hundreds of years growth in 1 second.

• Corals are not like trees.

– The only growing parts are at the tips and edges.

One polyp (with tentacles retracted)

One polyp (with

tentacles extended)

Many polyps together form a coral colony. They depend on each

other and are all connected together.

Corals can be:

• Massive

• Columnar

• Branching

• Encrusting

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Once in the water

• Don’t touch anything

• If you touch a coral: –Removal of the protective layer around it

–Symbiotic algae jumps out

–Marine bacteria development

–Human bacteria development

– Infections

–A lot of energy spent•Meant for growth & reproduction

–Death of the coral

The symbiotic algae is the one giving the colour to the coral colony. A coral which still has flesh but is completely white has lost it’s symbiotic algae (coral bleaching phenomenon). It will die within a few days.

Human Impact

• There is consistent human impact on the reefs in Dahab. – Due to the close proximity to the shore.

• Reefs in other parts of the world are:– A boat journey away.

– Less accessible to divers and snorkelers.

• Need for good environmental practices on Dahab’s reefs

Coral Reef

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Human Impact

• Please do not: – Touch marine animals!

– Hold onto marine animals!

– Chase marine animals!

– Harass marine animals!

• This may cause: – Stress or injury.

– They may defend themselves & hurt you.

• In Sharm El Sheikh, a diver rode a turtle which was trying to surface to breathe, but was drowned by the diver.

• Feeding fish is undesirable

– It can develop unnatural or aggressive behaviour in the fish & create a dependency.

– Food introduced from outside their habitat:

• Will not adequately satisfy nutritional requirements.

• May be toxic to them.

– Killing other marine organisms to feed fish must never be tolerated.

• It is forbidden by National Park law

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Human Impact

Do not collect anything from:

• The reef / The reef table / The beach

• For ex. shells or pieces of coral

• They are all part of a biological cycle

• They will eventually break down and provide reef-building coral with nutrients required for construction of their calcium carbonate (CaCO3) skeletons

• It is forbidden by National Park law

• Please do not throw rubbish onto the beach.

• Avoid using plastic bags from supermarkets– Bring your own bags (cotton bags ideal & available at the DivingCenter).

• Pick up U/W rubbish that looks fresh.

• Empty out bags, bottles and cans. – They could contain small marine organisms or eggs of marine organisms.

• Leave any rubbish that looks old as it may be providing a habitat.

Turtle eating plastic Sea cucumber inside a bag of chips

Anemone eating plastic

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Diving & Snorkeling Skills

• Excessive fin kicking near the sandy bottom in a reef area will result in the reef dying if it happens continuously.

• Stirring up sand can smother coral.

– If sand falls down on a coral polyp, it will block all feeding and the polyp will die.

– Some corals secretes a mucous which can handle a certain level of siltation, but beyond this it dies.

Fins need to be away from the reef at all times

• Over 90% of all coral damage is the result of fin contact and usually occurs during the first 10 minutes of a dive.

• Diving and snorkeling has to be in a horizontal position.

• Avoid finning in a upward position.

– Underwater & at the surface

– If you need to fin in an upright position, ensure at least 3m between you and the bottom.

• For close observation, divers & snorkelers should be positioned at 60° to the reef.

– Fins up high, away from coral

• Photographers must be patient & look for an appropriate area to steady themselves.

– Not on living reef!!!

– An appropriate area is a plain, bare and grey rock.

• Taking a picture without touching anything at all is even better.

• If you need to touch something to steady yourself, look for an appropriate area and use one finger to gently push yourself away from the reef.

- This is better than crashing into the reef with the whole body.

• Keep a bigger distance with the reef in the future to prevent this from happening again.

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Protection measures

• The Dahab coastline is:– part of Nabq Protected Area.

• The coastline, from RasMohamed until border in

Taba:

– Is Protected

– Includes waters up to 4 nautical miles into the sea.

– Includes 50m or 100m (depends on places) setback area on the beach from the high tide mark of the highest tide of the year. 1

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National Park Regulations