"<h2>Reef-Dependent Population</h2>In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region, 37 million people benefit from coral reefs, including 8.5 million people who are likely highly dependent on reefs for their food or livelihood. (Estimated using WorldPop and World Vector Shoreline. People within 30 km of reefs and 10 km of the coast were considered \"highly dependent,\" while those within 100 km of reefs \"benefit.\")&nbsp;"

"<h2>Tourism</h2>Coral reef-associated tourist expenditure in the RSGA region is valued at $6 billion annually. This includes on-reef recreation (snorkeling, diving, recreational fishing, glass-bottom boat tours, etc.) as well as reef-adjacent benefits (such as white, sandy beaches and sheltered waters)."

Value

Vulnerability

Infrastructure

Habitat

Value and Importance of Coral Reefs

"Between 5.2 and 6.6% of the world's coral reefs are in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region. Different sources offer different figures for the total area of reef cover: Source &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Area (km²)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Global Share <a href=\"https://data.unep-wcmc.org/datasets/1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Global Distribution of</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9,830&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.6%<a href=\"https://data.unep-wcmc.org/datasets/1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Coral Reefs (UNEP-WCMC)</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https://gcrmn.net/products/reports/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Global Coral Reef Monitoring</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;153,606&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.2%<a href=\"https://gcrmn.net/products/reports/\\\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Network (GCRMN) Report</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 27% of RSGA’s coral reefs are located within marine protected areas; less than 1% are in “Fully or Highly Protected” areas.&nbsp;"

"<h2>Mangroves</h2>The RSGA region has limited mangrove area (about 0.1 % of the global total). Between 1996 and 2016, the region lost 2% of its mangrove area (a net loss of 3.4 km²). This net change included both 5.8 km² of loss and 2.4 km² of gain. As of 2016, the region had 151 km² of mangrove forest."

Ecosystems

Protected Areas

Coral Reefs, Mangroves, and Protection

"<h2>Local Threats</h2>Local activities and pollution threaten over 60% of reefs in RSGA. Overfishing is the most pervasive threat, but the other local threats each impact about 20% of coral reefs.&nbsp;&nbsp;"

"<h2>Coral Bleaching Conditions</h2>In RSGA region, over 60% of coral reefs will experience severe coral bleaching conditions at least twice per decade by the 2030s. By the 2050s, such conditions will occur annually (on average) for over 80% of the region’s reefs."

"<h2>Ocean Acidification</h2>Through the 2030’s over 90% of reefs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aiden region will be in areas rated as adequate for coral growth, based on ocean acidity and the availability of aragonite, a mineral important for coral growth. By the 2050s half of reefs will be in areas rated as marginal.&nbsp;"

Habitats

Local Threats

Global Threats

Local and Global Threats to Coral Reefs

"<h2>Live Hard Coral Cover</h2>Overall, there has been a 5% loss of coral cover in the RSGA region since monitoring began in 1997, though it has not been a consistent decline.&nbsp;By&nbsp;2002 coral cover declined from 36.1% to 32.3%&nbsp;as a consequence of&nbsp;the mass coral bleaching event that occurred in 1998, which&nbsp;affected&nbsp;one-third of&nbsp;the region’s reefs.&nbsp;During the next six years, coral cover almost recovered to pre-1998 levels, reaching 35.3% in 2008, but progressively declined again to 30.9%&nbsp;by&nbsp;2016 . Since 2016, average coral cover has increased again to 34.3% in 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;Coral cover loss has been driven by thermal stress as well as local threats.&nbsp;&nbsp;"

"<h2>Algae Cover</h2>The average cover of algae on coral reefs in the region&nbsp;is generally low.&nbsp;Between 1997 and 2006, the cover of algae exhibited a similar trend to that of coral cover, with an initial decline from 8.6% in 1997 to 4.5% in 2002, which was followed by a progressive increase to 8.4% in 2006. The cover of algae varied little during the next six&nbsp;years but&nbsp;increased from 7.8% in 2012 to 14.7% in 2019, almost doubling the&nbsp;amount&nbsp;of algae on reefs in the region during that time.&nbsp;&nbsp;"

"Modeled cover of live hard coral cover (left) and algae (right) for the RSGA region. The solid line represents the predicted marginal mean and ribbons represent 80% (lighter shade) and 95% (darker shade) credible intervals. Grey areas of the temporal series represent times for which no observed data were available."

"<h1>Summary</h1> The RSGA region includes between 5.2 and 6.6% of the&nbsp;world’s coral reefs.&nbsp;The Red Sea is one of the world’s major tourist destinations, and reef-associated&nbsp;tourist expenditure&nbsp;in the&nbsp;region&nbsp;contributes&nbsp;an estimated&nbsp;US$6 billion annually.&nbsp;Artisanal fisheries are an important source of food and employment for thousands of people across the region, particularly in Yemen.&nbsp;&nbsp; Causes of coral loss vary across the region, with thermal stress compounding local&nbsp;threats.&nbsp;In the northern Red Sea, tourism activities and coastal development are the&nbsp;main local causes&nbsp;of coral loss, while in the&nbsp;central Red Sea, nutrient&nbsp;runoff&nbsp;and overfishing have degraded coral reefs and stimulated algal growth&nbsp;and eutrophication.&nbsp;Thermal stress has also contributed to coral decline, but there has been reasonably good recovery across&nbsp;most of&nbsp;the region. Algal cover is relatively low compared with live coral cover.&nbsp;&nbsp;Projections of stress from ocean acidification are relatively low for&nbsp;the region.&nbsp;While&nbsp;27% of RSGA’s coral reefs are located within marine protected areas, less than 1% are in fully of highly protected areas. &nbsp; For more detail on the&nbsp;RSGA&nbsp;region and its subregions see the GCRMN global report&nbsp;<a href=\"https://gcrmn.net/2020-report/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: inherit;\">Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2020</a>&nbsp;.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"

The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (RSGA) region includes Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia (Red Sea coast), Somalia, Sudan, and western Yemen. PERSGA is The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. 

Coral Reefs: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Importance, status and outlook for coral reefs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region

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Coral Reefs: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Importance, status and outlook for coral reefs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region

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