In
collaboration between the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the
Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden PERSGA and the Egyptian
Environmental Affairs Agency “EEAA” a two-day national workshop on review and
discussion of the environmental and socioeconomic monitoring results in Wadi el
Gemal Hamata National Park, Egypt has been organized during the period November
22nd - 23rd 2016. It was attended by about forty
participants representing different stakeholders concerned with to the coastal
and marine environment as well as representatives from the local community.
This
workshop comes in fulfillment of the common objectives of the Strategic
Ecosystem-based Management of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden SEM Project and the
Project Wastewater Management in Coastal Cities on the Red Sea and
The
workshop was conducted as a part of the implementation of the environmental and
socioeconomic monitoring activities in Wadi el Gemal Hamata National Park,
Egypt under Component 3 of the SEM project; which is concerned with
environmental and socioeconomic monitoring in the coastal areas in the region,
and includes evaluation of the current
status of monitoring activities in the participating countries to identify the
strength weaknesses in order to assist the countries to enhance their national
monitoring programs on a scientific basis; revision of monitoring methods and
capacity building in personnel and equipment to support the sustainability of
these national monitoring programs.
The
workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Mohamed Gad el Rab, Director the Southern Red
Sea Protectorates. In his opening address, he welcomed the participants,
stressing the importance of collaboration between PERSGA and EEAA in
implementing SEM project activities in Wadi el Gemal Hamata NP, which aims at
protecting the environment and conserve natural resources for the future
generations. In turn, Dr. Mohammed Badran, Director of Projects Management at
PERSGA and the Regional Coordinator of the SEM Project welcomed the
Participants and conveyed to them the greetings of His Excellency PERSGA’s
Secretary-General, he gave a brief about the project, and its components,
pointing out that the implementation of the project is following
ecosystem-based approach, which focuses on the involvement of stakeholders and
the local community in implementing project activities.
The
workshop, which lasted for two days reviewed the progress of implementation of
the monitoring activities within the project and discussed the obtained results
with stakeholders from various community groups in the protected area. The
first day included presentations by the monitoring team reviewing the progress
of the work, and discussing the results of the last stage with the local
community and stakeholders. While the second day included practical training on
monitoring Coral Reef using Reef Check, with the participation of a group of
volunteers from the community and diving centers operating in the protected
area. During the training real data of the state of coral reefs has been
collected from two different sites within the protected area.
The
environmental monitoring program in Wadi el Gemal Hamata National Park is
executed by a team of the Red Sea Protectorates in EEAA, and includes
monitoring seawater quality, various habitats (coral reefs, mangroves and sea
grass), species (sea birds, turtles, dolphins and sharks).
The
workshop witnessed broad participation from the local community of Wadi el
The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden