CAIRO - 6 December 2025: On the sidelines of the 24th Conference of the Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP24), the Italian environmental foundation Marevivo, which works to protect marine life and ecosystems, warned against the excessive number of tourist boats causing severe stress on marine life in the Red Sea's Sataya Dolphin Reef in Marsa Alam, Egypt.
The Foundation stated that this stress poses a twofold risk: it threatens the dolphins' natural habitat, affecting their well-being and productivity, and jeopardizes the coastal tourism economy that relies on the reef.
In comments to Egypt Today, Director of the International Division of Marevivo, Pier Paolo Celeste, who represented the foundation at COP24, said that Marevivo has directly observed significant stress on marine life in the area, which is known for its extraordinary beauty and high popularity.
"Ten years ago, the place was beautiful, but now it is greatly suffering due to coral bleaching and global warming, which are affecting the entire area," he said, explaining that these factors are changing the biodiversity and the ecosystem.
"When our president visited, she observed dozens of boats -- many of them inflatable -- crowded with people dreaming of swimming with dolphins. The area was completely congested, surrounding and disturbing the animals. Although the site is a sanctuary, it has turned into a traffic zone."
Celeste added that solutions must include limiting the number of boats and zoning the area. He also stressed the importance of using electric engines, which do not produce noise or pollute the water.
He highlighted the need to educate tourists, captains, and crew members "because they must love and protect the place where they work and live."
Celeste revealed: "Our scientific committee previously helped with another area in Egypt, Samadai. There was a similar problem there [...] The next step is raising awareness."
For his part, Dr. Ali Abo Sena agreed that protective measures are crucial and recommended that Marevivo coordinate with HEPCA, which already has a management plan for the area.
"They can update the work plan, since the Ministry cooperates with HEPCA and entrusted them with managing Samadai. HEPCA also has the capacity to manage this area," he said.
"We must take protective measures without halting the area's economic activity, because otherwise people will lose their livelihoods. This is our priority," said Abo Sena.
Southern Marsa Alam in the Red Sea Governorate, within the world-renowned Wadi El Gemal National Park, lies the Satayeh Reef, home to the largest pod of spinner dolphins in the Red Sea. Dozens of these dolphins gather there each day, often interacting with tourists who visit the site to observe them in their natural habitat.
Satayeh Reef is considered one of the most important dolphin habitats in the region, hosting the highest concentration of spinner dolphins anywhere in the Red Sea.