The Red Sea Protectorate Authority, part of Egypt's Ministry of Environment, met last Thursday with an official from the Italian marine conservation group Marevivo. The meeting followed Al Manassa’s reporting on the migration of spinner dolphins from Sataya Reef due to unregulated tourism.
Egyptian environmental officials are weighing new conservation measures for the Red Sea after alarming signs of habitat disruption near Sataya Reef, where increased boat traffic has driven dolphins away, according to marine experts.
Celeste previously told Al Manassa the reef, located in Wadi El-Gemal National Park near Marsa Alam, faces a two-fold threat. A global climate crisis causing coral bleaching, and a local environmental emergency driven by mass tourism and uncontrolled motorboat use. “The ecosystem is collapsing under the pressure,” he said.
Celeste presented an action plan modeled after the successful zoning at Marsa Alam’s Samadai Reef. His comprehensive proposal calls for four key measures: defining specific-use areas, setting a daily boat limit, mandating electric boat engines, and requiring certified tourism training.
Samadai Reef is already divided into four zones: a dolphin-only sanctuary, a swimming/diving area, a boat mooring zone, and a low-impact use area. The initiative is jointly administered by the ministry and the NGO HEPCA.
The Red Sea Protectorate Authority reached out to Al Manassa to coordinate the meeting with Celeste. Among the attendees was marine researcher Dr. Mohamed Ismail, whose master's thesis focused on dolphin behavior at Sataya.
Authority director Ahmed Ghallab told Al Manassa that similar zoning had been discussed since 2018, based on Ismail's work, but was stalled due to staffing shortages. “We’re resuming the work,” he said, though added that winter is not optimal for reef observation.
Ghallab disputed Celeste’s claim that dolphins had already migrated, saying: “This is inaccurate. The dolphins have not left.” He emphasized the area remains under regular monitoring. Ghallab also noted that while Marevivo’s proposals were heard, formal collaboration with foreign groups requires approval from Egypt's Environmental Affairs Agency.
Still, Celeste called the meeting a positive step. “There is now shared awareness of the risks posed by overtourism,” he explained to Al Manassa. While past research laid the groundwork, he stressed that immediate action is needed to shift to a regenerative tourism model that protects biodiversity and supports local livelihoods.
“This was only the first meeting,” he said, adding that both sides will prepare studies and proposals for a follow-up session in early 2026.
Last week at the 24th Barcelona Convention, hosted in Egypt, Celeste warned,“without urgent measures, we face a dual collapse of ecosystems and livelihoods.” He described the current scene at Sataya as “a chaotic arena, with dozens of speedboats chasing dolphins, engines roaring, and tourists diving in to get close.”
Al Manassa will continue tracking developments as Egyptian authorities and international conservationists work to safeguard one of the Red Sea’s last vibrant reef systems.
