Management Plan for NABQ MANAGED RESOURCE PROTECTED AREA IUCN Category VI NATIONAL PARKS OF EGYPT SOUTH SINAI SECTOR Draft Prepared by: Ayman Mabrouk NABQ Manager Nov. 2007 NABQ Management Unit 1 Content page Acknowledgment............................................................................................................... 5 Acronyms and Abbreviations .......................................................................................... 6 Executive Summary.......................................................................................................... 7 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................11 1.1 Purpose of the Plan ........................................................................................................... 11 1.2 Framework of the Nabq protected area Management Plan.......................................... 12 1.2,1 Ownership.................................................................................................................................. 12 1.2.2 Legal Framework....................................................................................................................... 12 1.3 Areas Addressed by NMRPA Management Plan........................................................... 14 1.4 Planning Period................................................................................................................. 15 1.5 Plan Structure ................................................................................................................... 15 1.6 Main Roles of NABQ Managed Resource Protected Area............................................ 15 2. Significance of Nabq protect area (Site description) ............................................... 16 2.1 Physical Description.......................................................................................................... 16 2.1.1 General Description ................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.2 Climate....................................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.3 Geology...................................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.4 Geomorphology ......................................................................................................................... 19 2.1.5 Hydrology and Drainage resources............................................................................................ 22 2.2 Biodiversity Resources......................................................................................................22 2.2.1 Habitats ...................................................................................................................................... 22 2.2.2 Species ....................................................................................................................................... 25 2.3 Cultural Heritage Resources............................................................................................ 30 2.4 Local people (Bedouin) ..................................................................................................... 30 2.4.1 Population .................................................................................................................................. 30 2.4.2 Bedouin domestic animals ......................................................................................................... 31 2.4.3 Socioeconomic of the Bedouin in Nabq..................................................................................... 32 2.5 Existing Land Uses............................................................................................................ 33 2.5.1 Mining and Quarrying................................................................................................................ 33 2.5.2 Fishing ....................................................................................................................................... 33 2.5.3 Tourism...................................................................................................................................... 33 2.5.4 Urban Centers and Settlements .................................................................................................. 34 2.5.5 Roads ......................................................................................................................................... 36 2.5.6 The Experimental Shrimp Farm................................................................................................. 36 2.6 NMRPA Stakeholders....................................................................................................... 37 2.6.1 Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency................................................................................... 37 2.6.2 South Sinai Governorate ............................................................................................................ 37 2.6.3 Tourist Development Authority ................................................................................................. 37 2.6.4Ministry of Interior ..................................................................................................................... 37 2.6.5 The General Organization for Roads and Bridges ..................................................................... 37 2.6.6 Investors..................................................................................................................................... 38 2.6.7 Local (Bedouin) Communities................................................................................................... 38 2.6.8 Ministry of Agriculture .............................................................................................................. 38 2.7 Current Conservation Capacity at NMRPA and Vicinity ............................................ 38 3. Management Goals and Objectives........................................................................... 39 3.1 IUCN Protected Area Management Category................................................................ 39 3.2 National Objectives for Protected Areas......................................................................... 39 NABQ Management Unit 2 3.3 NMRPA Management Objectives ................................................................................... 40 4. Management Issues, Policies, objectives and Actions.............................................. 40 4.1 Management of Existing Urban Centers......................................................................... 40 4.2 Management of Coastal Developments ........................................................................... 42 4.3 Public Awareness .............................................................................................................. 43 4.4 Visitor Safety ..................................................................................................................... 44 4.5 Roads.................................................................................................................................. 45 4.6 Off-road Vehicle Use......................................................................................................... 46 4.7 Anchoring .......................................................................................................................... 47 4.8 Boat Groundings ............................................................................................................... 48 4.10 Local (Bedouin) People................................................................................................... 48 4.11 Deterioration of Traditional Culture ............................................................................ 49 4.12 Solid Waste ...................................................................................................................... 50 4.13 Ship-originated Pollution................................................................................................ 51 4.17 Sewage.............................................................................................................................. 52 4.14 Major Oil Spill Risk........................................................................................................ 52 4.15 Fuel Wood Collection...................................................................................................... 53 4.16 Grazing............................................................................................................................. 54 4.17 Fishing.............................................................................................................................. 55 4.18 By-catch and Boat Strikes .............................................................................................. 56 4.19 Collection of Marine Invertebrates ............................................................................... 56 4.20 Collection of Medicinal Plants ....................................................................................... 57 4.21Hunting ............................................................................................................................. 58 4.22 Mining and Quarrying Activities..................................................................................