Saving Red Sea Coral Reefs
Mooring systems significantly reduce the damage to the reefs by eliminating the need for anchoring. Since its foundation in the early 1990's HEPCA has been responsible for developing, installing and maintaining a boat mooring system to protect the fragile coral reefs of the Red Sea. A combination of private funding, donations, and initiatives have enabled HEPCA to raise the necessary finance for the mooring project.
HEPCA works in coordination with the EEAA to ensure correct usage of the buoys and to implement EEAA regulations as part of a comprehensive resource protection management strategy.
To date, HEPCA has installed over 1000 buoys throughout the Red Sea and has been instrumental to transfer the technology to neighboring countries including Djibouti, Jordan, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The mooring project, as well, provides ongoing training to boat captains and their crews. Since 1998 more than 800 boat skippers have received best practice training in the proper use of buoys and additional environmental awareness. Buoys protect reefs, but only if we use them correctly. HEPCA’s major commitment is to keep the moorings afloat and functional and to continue to transfer the mooring technology whenever and wherever needed.