Jon Chamberlain - Photographer and Web Designer

Red Sea Coralgrouper

This juvenile Red Sea coralgrouper (Plectropomus pessuliferus) was found taking a nap on a ledge at Far Garden in Sharm El Sheikh. Whilst bright orange anthias danced around his head he remained still on his bed of soft coral.

Overfishing

Groupers can reach enormous sizes, with this species growing longer than 1.1 meters, making them ideal catch for fishermen. Groupers are the first to disappear from a reef when it is being overfished.

Fishing, tourism and conservation often come into conflict around marine ecosystems. The once sustainable small catches that feed the local population have to be dramatically increased to feed a growing tourist population. But it is the beauty of the marine ecosystem that makes these places appealing to visitors. Acheiving a long-lasting balance between these 3 groups is the most difficult task of protecting a coral reef.