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Sanganeb National Marine Park, Sudan: Successful Conservation of a Complex Coral Reef Ecosystem

Mohammed Younis Abdelsalam and Fareed Krup

Jubail Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, SAUDI ARABIA

Sanganeb is an isolated, atoll-shaped coral reef structure in the central Red Sea, 25 km off the shoreline of Sudan. Surrounded by 800 m deep water, this largely pristine marine ecosystem provides one of the most impressive dive sites on earth. The diversity of physiographic zones is very high and reefs are characterised by an extraordinary structural complexity. Detailed biodiversity surveys, focusing on corals, reef fish, crustaceans and polychaetes were conducted, confirming particularly high levels of biodiversity, including a large number of Red Sea endemics. Hermatypic corals occur down to depths of 75 m. Besides the reef associated fauna, oceanic species are regularly observed at Sanganeb. Since 1978 commercial fisheries have been banned and in 1991 Sanganeb became Sudan's first National Marine Park. Although the level of management is very low, combined efforts by various stakeholders representing the public and private sectors resulted in a successful conservation of Sanganeb's reef ecosystem and shark populations, which suffered from human-induced pressure in adjacent areas. Sanganeb offers prime opportunities for marine biological studies. Scientific research and eco-tourism are the main beneficiaries from conservation of the area. So far, human impact is very low. However, with recent economic and infrastructural development and plans to promote marine-based tourism in Sudan, there is an urgent need to prepare and implement a master plan for the protected area. In the case study presented here, the status of Sanganeb MPA is reviewed and the key requirements for the proposed master plan outlined.