Effective community based action in the Red Sea

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Research, Safeguard and Sustainably Develop, the Red Sea Marine resources and protection apparatus for the benefit of nature and it's coastal communities.

Coral reefs and underwater habitats are crucial for nature, people, and climate stability, both in the Red Sea and globally.
The Great Fringing Reef in the Red Sea is home to thousands of species, including turtles, manta rays, sea slugs, and pufferfish. The Red Sea hosts over 1,100 species of fish, with nearly 20 percent being endemic to the region.
Coral reefs also play a vital role in protecting coastal habitats such as seagrass meadows and mangroves, which absorb carbon dioxide and store it up to 50 times more efficiently than terrestrial forests.
Healthy coral reefs support commercial and subsistence fisheries, as well as tourism and recreational activities, providing jobs and businesses. 

Research, Safeguard and Sustainably Develop, the Red Sea Marine resources and protection apparatus for the benefit of nature and it's coastal communities. - #OPREDSEA

In order to enact and test the conceptual development of our GoBlu3 environmental programs, a team of volunteers led by our community founder H.Hemmerechts descended to the Red Sea in 2021. First project location was the Southern coral reefs of Sudan, of Port Sudan. Where in cooperation with the Red Sea University and the Sudan Marine Park Rangers, they researched various locations. Then in 2022 the second research and development location was opened on the shores of Ain Sokhna's Suez region.

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The Issues

“Nature does not respect human set boundaries, nor do climate change and pollution.”

Despite their significant economic and recreational value, coral reefs face severe threats from pollution, disease, and habitat destruction. Damaged reefs are less capable of supporting the diverse marine life and nearby communities. A decline in the reef's biodiversity also reduces its appeal as a tourist destination, impacting the tourism industry and professional divers active in exploration and training sectors who depend on this income stream.

However, we have failed to protect our coral reef ecosystems effectively. Underwater biodiversity and biomass continue to decline despite various pledges and declarations to safeguard them. A significant reason for this failure is that professional divers lack the necessary equipment, training, support, cooperation and financial resources to combat these losses.

In the Southern Red Sea, climate change is the primary driver of biodiversity loss, with heat stress destroying hundreds of square kilometers of reefs. In the Northern Red Sea, unsustainable shoreline, agglomeration and industrial development has led to the destruction of hundreds of kilometers of fringing reefs, making way for man-made beaches plagued by erosion and sedimentation issues, which smother the Red Sea's nurseries; not to mention the pollution stemming from the agglomerations, desalination plants and high maritime traffic to and from the Suez Canal.

Another general issue is the lack in cooperation, sharing of knowledge and resources between Red Sea countries and their respective scientific, educational and enforcement agencies. While most individual countries lack the basic aforementioned resources to be well equipped, trained and knowledgeable.

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