CDWS press statement:
for immediate release 20 May 2011
CDWS salutes annulment of decree that allowed fishing in national park
Following the annulment yesterday of the decree that allowed fishing boats to fish in the protected
waters of Egypt's Ras Mohammed National Park, CDWS can confirm that at 8am this morning,
all fishing boats had left the area.
Ras Mohammed National Park by Kat Rowe
A meeting, hosted at Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village by owner Umbarak, was held last night
(19 May) and attended by representatives of the Bedouin fisherman, Hesham Gabr (chairman,
CDWS), SEDO (Sharm el Sheikh Environmental and Development Organisation) and Dr
Mohammed Salem (Ras Mohammed National Park) which resulted in the fisherman agreeing to
leave and accepting compensation contributed by the Ministry of Tourism. The fisherman also
requested longer term compensation which will now be discussed between the Ministry of
Tourism, Ministry of the Environment and the Governor of South Sinai who will assign a
committee to work directly with the Bedouin fisherman since those fisherman local to Sinai are
trying to live and work in an area that is almost entirely designated as national park.
A second meeting took place between Hesham Gabr and representatives of the Egyptian Navy
at which Mr Gabr was informed that the Navy has been given the task of policing the situation.
The team also discussed the issue that approximately 15 non-bedouin fishing boats have been
working in waters further north off Sinai. The Egyptian Navy has instructed their boats in Sharm
el Sheikh to arrest these fisherman over the next 24 - 48 hours.
CDWS would like to express their thanks to all those who contributed in making this happen with
special thanks to Amr Ali of HEPCA, SEDO, National Parks of Egypt, the Egyptian Navy, the
media and the Red Sea diving community.
-ends-
For further information please contact Laura Coppa by email on
laura.coppa@cdws.travel
or Mary Gleeson on
mary.gleeson@cdws.travel
