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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE NEW SUEZ CANAL, BETWEEN
SCIENTIFIC FACTS AND POLITICAL PROPAGANDA
Prof. Mahmoud Hassan Hanafy
Marine Science Dept., Faculty of Science
HAARETZ
OCT. 21. 2014
Scientists: Suez Canal project 'ominous' news for the Mediterranean Sea
Central worry is foreign species invading from the Red Sea.
By Zafrir Rinat 10:21 06.10.14
A group of 18 scientists specializing in marine ecosystems have published a warning abou theecological consequences of the Egyptian government’s plan to expand the Suez Canal by building anew, larger and deeper waterway parallel to the present one. The scientists last week called it“ominous news,” saying the project “is sure to have a diverse range of effects, at local andregional...
Impact of invasive species
Environmental impact Socio-economical impact
Red Sea, as a Case Study
Conservation is a MUSTfor the national economy
Why the Egyptian Red Sea?
Limited but valuable living resources:
Low fertility (oligotrophic)
Limited coral reefs
Fringing reefs
Not more than 300 sq. km
Mangrove 26 stands of mangrove; Estimated total areas = 550 hectares
Avicenia marinaRhizophora mucronata
Limited to shallow water
Sea grasses
Highly valuable for national economy
Examples
Coral reefs value 3-3.5 million divers
Estimated value for coral sq. m = $300/year
Value of coral reef fishes Represents 30% of reefs beauty (i.e. $90/year)
Value of sharks
Low abundance but highly valuable
Estimated value at Brother = $200,000 / year
Dolphin (Dolphin House), successful story
Value $91,000/single individual
Creates more than 600 jobs (i.e. 15 jobs/individual dolphin)
Dugong at Abu Dabab
Single individual Value $1,800,000/year
Is the species invasion localized, regional or global pattern?
Pattern of invasive species
Methods of the species invasion in the marine environment:
Shipping (fouling and ballast waters Climate change (Global warming) Man-made (Trades, Canals, Dams .. etc)
Ship hulls (fouling)
Ballast water
Climate change- sea surface temperature
Climate change – Great lakes
Invertebrates in ships’ ballast tanks on the Great Lakes
Invertebrate Density Mean + S.E. individuals.m-3)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
0
2000
4000
10000
14000
18000 All Species Risky Species
Bailey et al. (2011) Environmental Science and Technology
Ballast water exchange reduces density and diversity of species capable of
colonizing the Great Lakes, and no new invasions have been reported
Pre-regulation
Post-regulation
Man-introducing invasive species
Man-introduction of water hyacinth to Egypt
Water loss Fresh water canals blockage Rise the cost of canal system maintenance
More common fishes introduced to
aquaculture in Egypt
Factors controlling migration through
Suez Canal
Shipping (fouling and ballast waters) Climate change Rising of salinity level in the Mediterranean
sea (Aswan high dam) Bitter lakes system
Bitter lakes as a Barrier
After 1869 Before 1869
Invasion sequence into the Suez Canal system
1967-1971Biota stable & Bitter lakes are barrier for more migration (Por, 1973)
Very small numbers of euryhaline spp. Examples C. edule, m. variables, Sphaeroma serratum, few fish species
1st stage 1869-1902
Tillier, 1902
Molluscan community completed2nd stage
Keller, 1895
Main vegetation community established, dominated Echinodermata and Decapoda populated
3rd stage Cambridge Expedition,
1924
Are the Bitter Lakes stable/barrier or not ?
Hanafy, 1992.
Stated that
The increasing human activities in/and around theBitter lakes (i.e shipping, discharging the agriculturedrainage water, urbanization on the western side of thelakes & dredging and enlarging the channels withinthe lakes)
In addition to the climate change, and shipping, salinity levels in Bitter lakes and Eastern Mediterranean are main limiting factors for the future
invasion rate
Salinity in the Bitter lakes as a BARRIER
60-64 (max. 68ppt) 1871-1872
53.3 ppt 1924-1925 (Fox 1929)
44.4-47.5 ppt 1934 (Compagnie du canal Maritime)
44.0-48.0 ppt 1953-1955 (Morcos 1960)
42.0-48.5 ppt1964-1967 (Morcos & Messieh
1970)
39.6-40.7 ppt (Hamid et al., 2012)
2012
Impact of the Nile flooding on the Eastern Mediterranean
After• Aswan High Dam (after 1964)
• Cessation of freshwater discharge and sediments loading
• Eroded shore
• Rising salinity in the Eastern Mediterranean
Before
•Aswan High Dam
•(Before, 1964)
•Input of:
•60-180 million tons of sediments
•16-64 billion m3 of freshwater
Pattern is very similar to other aquatic ecosystemsMediterranean Sea (non-cumulative number)
canal ships aquaculture
canals and shipsGalil (2011) in Encyclopedia of
Biological Invasions
<1900 1940 1980 >2000
100
80
60
40
20
Mediterranean Sea (non-cumulative number)San Francisco Bay (cumulative number)
The number of ecologically or economically problematic imported species in the most affected marine regions of
Europe.
Species invasion in Hawaii
Prior to human settlement 1 per 3000 yr (i.e 0.00003/yr)
After human settlement 1 per 50 yrs (i.e 0.5/yr)
Recently (during the past century) 1 every 3 weeks (i.e 20 / yr)
Loope et al (1988)
Annual rates of increase in the establishment of alien mammals (datafrom Genovesiet al. 2009), invertebrates (data from Roques et al. 2009) andplants (data from Pyšek et al. 2009) in Europe since 1500 ad.
Cumulative number of alien species established in terrestrial environment in 11 European countries
Examples of the invasive rate
other areas
Current limitations to invasion through Suez Canal
In conclusion: (in addition to the climate change)
Salinity in the Bitter Lakes
Salinity in the Eastern Mediterranean
Toleration of invaders to adept to the canal system environment
Therefore:Invasion pattern is not influenced by water
volume or current speed
Suez canal:Length 193 km; Width 210m; Depth 24mWater volume = 972.72 million m3
Canal BranchesTotal lengths 80 kmWater volume 403.2 million m3
Temsah lakeArea 1900 acreAverage depth 10mWater volume 90 million m3
Bitter lakeGreat Bitter lake:Area 193 km2Little Bitter LakeArea 40 km2Average depth 8.29mWater volume 1.932 billion m3
Current total volume:almost 3.4 billion m3
New CanalLength 35kmWidth 210mDepth 25mTotal water volume 183.7 million m3
Ratio to total
volume 5.4%
Scientific facts
Species invasion is a global pattern, climate change plays the main role in this process
Recently the invasion rate through Suez Canal is increased similar to the global trend
Rising of salinity in the Eastern Mediterranean and decreasing of salinity in the Bitter Lakes may increase the invasion rate
Doubling impact due to the New Suez Canal is just a political/media propaganda rather than scientific findings
Not a scientific publication
350 spp via Suez Canal, what about the another 350 spp ?
Not true
Propaganda rather than science
Suez Canal is opened in 1869,
before any of these convention and agreements, as global/nations
need. CBD (1992)Ratified 1994)
Immediate notification and
actions to prevent/minimize;
See the recommendations
below
Objectives: (started 1976)to assess and control marine pollutionto ensure sustainable management of natural marine and coastal resources;to integrate the environment in social and economic development;to protect the marine environment and coastal zones through prevention and reduction of pollution, and as far as possible, elimination of pollution, whether land or sea-based;to protect the natural and cultural heritage;to strengthen solidarity among Mediterranean coastal States;to contribute to improvement of the quality of life.
Bias statement , after more than 150 yrs
Not meet with the national
sovereignty& liability
Political propaganda
NEW YORK TIMES NEWSPAPER
Under the Ships in the Suez CanalBy JULI BERWALDNOV. 12, 2014
It is questionable, why this jelly fish does not problematic in the Red Sea or even Bitter Lakes ?
Needed
Clear political
propaganda
Recommendations Prepare an strategic Environmental Impact Assessment for the
national project of the New Suez Canal. It is recommended to be prepared by Suez canal university experts and the cost to be covered by the Suez Canal Authority
Establish a monitoring center/environmental center on the Bitter Lakes in cooperation between Suez Canal university and the Suez Canal Authority (Suez Canal Research Center)
Prepare for technical workshop/brainstorm meeting under the umbrella of the Suez Canal University and Authority to discuss the approaches and objectives of such center
Investigate the anti-CBD activities carrying out by Israel and highlight these activities in the international and obligation meetings such as introducing of sea bream to the Gulf of Aqaba (Mediterranean species) and the project of Gulf of Aqaba-Dead Sea canal.
Declare Bitter lakes as zero-discharge area
Thank you very much