Kategorie: News
Hope for the ecosystem
Ralph Schill is a professor of zoology at the University of Stuttgart and co-founder of the non-profit organisation aquatil, which is dedicated to promoting research and education in the field of the underwater world. For over 20 years, he has been intensively studying the biological diversity of the Red Sea, particularly in El Quadim Bay, which he knows very well from numerous research and educational projects. He spoke to us about the situation on site.
If you would like to meet Ralph Schill in person, you can do so at boot Düsseldorf at the aquatil stand I17 in hall 11. Ralph is looking forward to your visit and good conversations.
Coral reef habitat
Coral reefs provide a variety of ecosystem services – these are services that nature provides for people through habitats as well as animals and plants. These services can be divided into direct services, such as tourism and fishing, and indirect services, such as coastal protection through natural breakwaters.
Furthermore, coral reefs contribute to the preservation of biological diversity and have non-material values such as cultural heritage and mere existence. To determine the total economic value of a reef, all these services must be individually assessed. According to estimates, coral reefs provide ecosystem services worth an average of around 350,000 US dollars per hectare per year. However, these are average values that need to be individually assessed in each case on the ground. But this means that, for example, the damage to a coral reef caused by the VSG Glory can be calculated.
In the case of shipping accidents, such as that of the ‘VSG Glory’, which was pushed onto the reef by wind and waves, significant mechanical damage occurs to the reef structures that have grown over long periods of time. If oil is also spilled, many animals and plants that are unable to escape the spilled oil will die.
The shipwreck - Retrospective 22 November 2024
Quotes from WK Webster
* We have reports that the general cargo ship VSG GLORY (IMO: 9103025) lost control due to strong winds and high waves caused by a technical malfunction. As a result, the ship ran aground on coral reefs off Quseir, Egypt, on 22 November 2024.
* The ship is said to have sustained a 60-centimetre-long crack in the hull, through which seawater entered the engine room, causing the ship to tilt and fuel to leak into the sea.
It took almost two days before oil barriers were deployed and had the desired effect. Fortunately, the barriers bought enough time for the appropriate infrastructure to arrive on site to pump up the oil and take further measures.
Hope for El Quadim Bay
There is now hope for the ecosystem of El Quadim Bay. In the current case, a major disaster seems to have been averted by stopping the oil leak and by the ongoing suction. The oil that has already leaked out will then gradually be broken down naturally by microorganisms living in the sea. Fortunately, the inner area of El Quadim Bay seems to have remained largely intact.
The mechanically destroyed reef structure may look unappealing at first glance, but it provides an ideal foundation for corals, bryozoans, sponges and other reef organisms to resettle and grow. It's a bit like a restaurant without reservations: As soon as the doors open, everyone rushes to the free seats, and the first to arrive get the best ones. These places on the coral reef are highly coveted and defended against competitors with all available means.
Of course, reintroduction is more difficult when environmental conditions are fundamentally challenging, such as the increased water temperatures in recent years.
A unique habitat
There are around 300 species of hard coral in the entire Red Sea, with between 128 and 158 species found in the northern Red Sea, depending on the scientific source. So far, 144 species of hard coral have been documented in El Quadim Bay, which represents over 90% of the species found in the northern Red Sea. The bay is also home to numerous fire coral and soft coral species. This impressively high level of biodiversity makes El Quadim Bay a unique habitat. The intact area of the bay can therefore serve as a valuable starting point for the natural repopulation of the damaged reef sections.
It is not yet possible to see what exactly will happen on the ground in the coming days. Nevertheless, we should already thank the staff of the hotel, the Dive centre and the many other dedicated people who have done everything in their power so far.
At a later stage, it will certainly be necessary to consider in detail which measures and regulations need to be developed to reach disabled ships in good time, before they drift onto a reef. After all, a significant proportion of global shipping traffic passes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal: about 15% of global container traffic and 10% of global oil shipments.
More information:
El Quadim Bay on Taucher.Net
aquatil (non-profit organization)