Impact of tourism and fishing on the coral reef health along the west coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt

Abstract

To assess the anthropogenic impact on the Egyptian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, particularly the tourism and fishing influences. Eighteen sites were surveyed from November 2019 to February 2020. At each site, coral cover was determined using Point Intercept Transect (PIT) method, at depths of 3 and 8 m. Also, abundances of invertebrate species were determined by the belt transect method at the same depths for each site. Mean of cover percentages of corals (hard and soft) at Dahab sector ranged from 16.7 to 64.0 % at 3m, and from 3.3 to 56.0 % at 8m. At Nuweiba’a, it ranged from 7.3 to 55.3 % at 3m and from 4.0 to 30.0 % at 8 m. Statistical analyses confirmed that there were significant differences in coral assemblage in relation to depth and sites. A total of 78 invertebrate species were recorded and counted from the two depths at the two sectors. Of which, the molluscan, Tridacna sp. and the echinoderms, Echinometra mathaei and Diadema setosum were found to be the most abundant species at the two sectors as well as at both depths. In addition, the abundance and assemblages of recorded key invertebrate species were varied among the sectors. Comparison of the influences of tourism and fishing showed several observations suggested a moderate decline in coral cover and key invertebrate species, with a notable increase of total algal cover in the Nuweiba’a sector.