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