Monitoring of South Sinai coral reefs: influence of natural and anthropogenic factors

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 3 m, 50% to 14% at 7 m, and 52% to 13% at 16m, and hard coral cover from 37.5% to 15.7% at 3 m, 32.8% to 7.0% at 7 m, 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. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.