Adopt A Reef
Adopt A Reef site is a social collaboration from the Dahab diving community to raise environmental awareness, protect the dive sites, help in saving marine life, and encourage the community to take part in protecting the Red Sea.
We are excited to propose a pilot Adopt-a-Reef initiative. The CDWS will administer the project with the assistance of Eco-Dahab, who will be coordinating in the city of Dahab.
This is the first trial for this initiative that will be launched in the future to all diving destinations in Egypt.
About the initiative:
- Each center is encouraged to adopt the dive site closest to their center.
- Adoption will be a one-year commitment.
- Several centers can adopt the same site.
- Kite and Wind Surfing centers will receive priority for the lagoon beach area.
- The site will be assigned on a first-come basis.
How to adopt a reef site:
- In the registration form, you will have the opportunity to choose 4 sites in order of priority.
- Adoption will be a one-year commitment, after a year, centers may rotate the adopted dive sites to ensure even coverage.
Adopt a reef site rules:
- Keep your dive site area clean, including the shore entrance.
- After finishing your shore or underwater clean-up make sure to document and report the waste type and quantity collected over the month.
- Ensure that the bins in the surrounding area are being emptied.
- Give environmental briefings to your guests. For more information visit our website
- Monitor your dive site twice a year by taking videos and a series of pictures of the reef, once in winter and once in summer. Send the footage in one file to the CDWS. This will help create a database on the progress of the reefs over time.
- Communicate with the surrounding businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and shops on matters affecting the dive site. For example, encourage businesses to improve their waste management, go plastic-free, informing visitors not to walk on the reef or use toxic sunscreen, etc. Engaging with surrounding businesses on awareness campaigns or small projects is key to keep your area protected.
- Report your marine life sightings to the big and rare invertebrates such as turtles, rays, nudibranchs, or more. Check the attached file for more information.
- Report broken corals, coral bleaching or diseases, algae growth, or others. Documentation should include pictures or videos
- Centers are encouraged to report environmental or technical violations at your dive site. Report a violation through our website or scan the following QR code.
- Submit a monthly update on your progress. (Forms will be provided for progress updates)
- Those who do not report monthly will receive a warning, if they still fail to report any progress their adaption will be considered invalid.
- The dive centers that will adopt the dive sites will have no authority to prevent other operations from accessing the adopted dive site, or for charging any fees.
- Dive centers must report the violations to the CDWS and avoid direct confrontations with any violators.
- Dive centers will have to abide by the CDWS’ technical regulations and the national parks’ environmental regulations.
Review the attached guidelines for more information
For questions and inquiries please contact us at [email protected]
The CDWS hopes that this is the first of many collaborations with the Dahab dive and water sports community. We highly encourage centers to submit ideas for future consideration.
Below is the list of participating operations and the sites they adopted:
| # | Operation/ Facility | Site |
|---|
| 1 | Fantasea Divers Dahab | Canyon |
| 2 | Dahab Divers Lodge | Canyon Coral Garden |
| 3 | Scuba Seekers | Mashraba |
| 4 | Penguin Divers Club | Islands |
| 5 | H2O Divers Dahab | Bannerfish Bay |
| 6 | Sea Dancer | Bannerfish Bay |
| 7 | Red Sea Tribe | Light House |
| 8 | Bubbles Team | Abu Helal |
| 9 | Circle Divers | Golden Blocks |
| 10 | Red Sea Relax | Eel Garden |