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The Gloves Are Coming Off

As a community based organization that aims to protect the Red Sea’s exceptional marine and terrestrial environment, HEPCA has focused on playing the role of the watchdog against mega-investors, destructive industries including the oil industry as well as governmental institutions implementing unsustainable policies on a variety of issues ranging from fishing regulations, to unsustainable coastal development and the protection of key species and habitats. All of these campaigns have relied on the support and unity of the Red Sea community, who has on many occasions resisted and reversed environmentally detrimental policies as well as pushed and forged legislation that aims to protect our natural resources for the generations to come. Sadly we must now launch campaigns, take strong legal actions and vigorously battle members of our own community! The frequency of the reports we are receiving concerning violations at sea by dive operators (especially safari boats) is unprecedented. We are receiving violation reports on a weekly basis of illegal and environmentally destructive mooring, fishing and waste dumping, even on the most pristine sites in the Egyptian Red Sea. This distressing and –what can be called- suicidal phenomena only indicates that many operators no longer –or never did- feel any sense of responsibility over the resources that they depend on to survive. Since their actions will directly lead to the collapse of the Red Sea environment, one may argue that they are here only for a fast buck and have no intention in staying. This indifference and lack of awareness is also clear through HEPCA’s mooring work, for instance. Moorings that required to be reinstalled twice per year less than a decade ago in Gota’ Abu Ramada are now being replaced more than sixteen times a year! The cause of this cannot be reduced solely to the increased number of users; but more so to the failure to respect and follow the simple instructions of how to use moorings; which do not entail any inconvenience to their operation, but ensure the protection of the natural resources they depend on. Violators clearly display a complete absence of any sense of ownership of the incredible richness of the Egyptian Red Sea’s environment, no sense of belonging to their community or any concern over its future. Dealing with daily violations from operators based in the Red Sea is the mission of the implementing agencies and governmental authorities. Sadly, despite the fact that these do have legal enforcement power, it has appeared obvious over the last years that they do not have the sufficient capacity to stop the blatant rampant infringement of laws and regulations across our coast. Therefore we call upon all the caring members of our community to document and report any violations that they witness. HEPCA will no longer stop at forwarding these violations to the relevant government institutions but will mobilize a legal team to pursue these violators in court for the destruction, abuse and rape of the resources owned by all of us and the obliteration of our collective future. We will expose operators who do violate and hit them where it hurts and decimate their green-washing marketing campaigns. We must congratulate and applaud operators who have maintained a high standard and have continued to comply with laws and regulations. We ask them to continue preserving our future as well as to keep on documenting and reporting any violations they may see. When the respect that this country deserves, and the sense of honour and privilege for being granted such a valuable natural heritage are not displayed, then resolute intervention is crucial, and HEPCA will not stand down. It is time to display our outrage for the misuse and abuse of our resources, it is time for the caring community to strengthen its ranks and publicly condemn and legally prosecute whoever threatens our future.