SUDAN Key Habitats, Living resources and Environmental Impacts in the Sudanese Red Sea Introduction • The Sudanese Red sea is located at the central part of the Red Sea with a coast- line extending for up to 750 km. Key Habitats • Mangroves: Three mangrove species have been reported in the Su- danese coast with Avi- cennia marina being the predominant species. • Seagrasses: 10 species of sea grasses were recorded in the Sudanese Red Sea with varying densities have been identified. • Coral reefs: Three types of coral reefs including fringing reefs (1-3km wide), Barrier reefs (1-14 km wide) and Atoll reefs i. e. Sanganeb atoll. Marine living resources • Fishes: More than 250 coral reefs fishes have been reported including commercial fishes i. e. Groupers (Plectropomus macu- latus), Snappers (Lutjanus gibbus), Barra- cuda and Mackerels • Sharks: More than 20 species of sharks have been identified mainly Scalloped ham- merhead white tip shark Silvertip, grey, silky and whale sharks. • Rays: Mainly manta rays (Manta birostries & M. alfredil) are known to occur form- ing massive aggregations (during breeding season) particularly in northern part of the coast. • Ornamental fishes: Over 240 species belonging to about 26 families of ornamental fishes recognized i. e. Angelfish, Butterfly fish, Damsel fishes, Sweetlips Emperos & Parrot fishes. Invertebrate fauna • Corals (Cnidaria): More than 200 coral species belonging to more than 35 genera were encountered indicating high coral di- versity. • Mollusks: Over 250 species of shell mollusks were classified and assessed (snails, oysters, limpets, clams & mussels). Mainly : Mother-of-pearl oysters (Pinctada margar- alitifera), Trochus spp. Trochus dentatus, Stormbus (S. tricornis), Tridacna (giant clam). • Crustaceans: more than 60 species of crustaceans have been identified and quanti- fied particularly: > Shrimps (prawns): 8 species of commercial shrimps were recorded notably Pe- naeus spp. > Lobsters: Three species of lobsters (Pan- ulirus spp.) are found to be most com- mon specially Panulirus penicillatus. • Echinoderms: almost 9 species of sea cu- cumber were found to be abundant mainly Holothuria spp Globally important key species • Sudanese Coast harbors some international important and threatened key species including: I. Sirenian mammals such as dugongs (Dug- ong dugon) II.Cetaceans mammals i. e. Dol- phins (Dolphinus dolphis) and pilot wahales III.Turtles: 4 species mainly Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) IV. Sea birds: More than 20 species of seabirds Crested trens (Sterna spp.), white cheeked tern (Sterna repressa), brown noody (Sula lecogastor) Environmental Impacts • The main threats facing habitats and marine life include: > Destruction of habitats (through land-fill- ing and dredging). > Environmental degradation from petro- leum industry. > Risks from marine transportation > Various types of pollution from industrial and urban activities. > Over-exploitation of living resources. International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange Dr. A’GADIR D. ELHAG Director of Institute of Marine Research Red Sea University Port Sudan P .O.Box . 24 - Sudan Contact

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SUDAN

Key Habitats, Living resources and Environmental Impacts in the Sudanese Red Sea

Introduction

• TheSudaneseRedseaislocatedatthecentralpartoftheRedSeawithacoast-lineextendingforupto750km.

Key Habitats • Mangroves:ThreemangrovespecieshavebeenreportedintheSu-danesecoastwithAvi-cennia marinabeingthepredominantspecies.• Seagrasses:10speciesofseagrasseswerere-cordedintheSudaneseRedSeawithvarying

densitieshavebeenidentified.• Coralreefs:Threetypesofcoralreefsin-cludingfringingreefs(1-3kmwide),Barrierreefs(1-14kmwide)andAtollreefsi.e.Sanganebatoll.

Marine living resources • Fishes:Morethan250coralreefsfisheshavebeenreportedincludingcommercialfishesi.e.Groupers(Plectropomus macu-latus),Snappers(Lutjanus gibbus),Barra-cudaandMackerels

• Sharks:Morethan20speciesofsharkshavebeenidentifiedmainlyScallopedham-merheadwhitetipsharkSilvertip,grey,silkyandwhalesharks.

• Rays:Mainlymantarays(Mantabirostries&M.alfredil)areknowntooccurform-ingmassiveaggregations(duringbreedingseason)particularlyinnorthernpartofthecoast.

• Ornamentalfishes:Over240speciesbe-longingtoabout26familiesofornamentalfishesrecognizedi.e.Angelfish,Butterflyfish,Damselfishes,SweetlipsEmperos&Parrotfishes.

Invertebrate fauna • Corals(Cnidaria):Morethan200coralspe-ciesbelongingtomorethan35generawereencounteredindicatinghighcoraldi-versity.

•Mollusks:Over250speciesofshellmolluskswereclassifiedandassessed(snails,oys-ters,limpets,clams&mussels).Mainly:Mother-of-pearloysters(Pinctada margar-alitifera),Trochus spp. Trochus dentatus, Stormbus(S. tricornis),Tridacna(giantclam).

• Crustaceans:morethan60speciesofcrus-taceanshavebeenidentifiedandquanti-fiedparticularly:> Shrimps(prawns):8speciesofcommer-cialshrimpswererecordednotablyPe-naeus spp.

> Lobsters:Threespeciesoflobsters(Pan-ulirus spp.)arefoundtobemostcom-monspeciallyPanulirus penicillatus.

• Echinoderms:almost9speciesofseacu-cumberwerefoundtobeabundantmainlyHolothuria spp

Globally important key species • SudaneseCoastharborssomeinternationalimportantandthreatenedkeyspeciesin-cluding:I.Sirenianmammalssuchasdugongs(Dug-

ong dugon)II.Cetaceansmammalsi.e.Dol-phins(Dolphinus dolphis)andpilotwahales

III.Turtles:4speciesmainlyGreenturtles(Chelonia mydas)

IV.Seabirds:Morethan20speciesofseabirdsCrestedtrens(Sterna spp.),whitecheekedtern(Sterna repressa),brownnoody(Sula lecogastor)

Environmental Impacts• Themainthreatsfacinghabitatsandma-rinelifeinclude:> Destructionofhabitats(throughland-fill-inganddredging).

> Environmentaldegradationfrompetro-leumindustry.

> Risksfrommarinetransportation> Varioustypesofpollutionfromindustrialandurbanactivities.

> Over-exploitationoflivingresources.

InternationalOceanographicData and InformationExchange

Dr. A’GADIR D. ELHAG Director of Institute of Marine Research