Human interventions to the coastal zone of Hurghada, northern Red Sea, Egypt  <B>Human interventions to the coastal zone of Hurghada, northern Red Sea, Egypt</B><P>O.E. Frihy1, A.M. Fanos1, A.A. Khafagy1 and K.A. Aesha2</B><I><P> 1 Coastal research Institute, 15 El Pharaana Street, Alexandria, Egypt <BR> 2 Cairo University, Faculty of Science, Zoology Department, Egypt</I><BR> <BR> Abstract<P> Hurghada is located on the western bank of the Red Sea at a distance of about 350km to the south of Suez. The shoreline of the city is extending for about 62km, and is fringed by a discontinuous series of extensive coral reef framework. The marketable fringing coral reef and the pleasant dry weather prevail during the whole year make Hurghada an attractive tourist site at the Red Sea of Egypt. During the last decade, over 40 recreational projects have been constructed at Hurghada, along part of the 60 kmlong of the northern Red Sea of Egypt. With the increasing number of tourists and local residents, there is a great need for more tourist development projects. As a result, man's activities have made different interventions. These intervention have resulted in a series of responses that now threaten the coastal zone of Hurghada. Pressure on space for building has lead to reclamation of the reef surface extending seaward by around 700 meters. This reclamation include; dumping large amount of filling material on the reef flat to create extra space, excavations for creating artificial swimming pools, marinas as well as building solid embankments to be used as jetties and mooring areas. Additional, direct impacts related to tourism activities including anchor damage, kicking, trampling, collection of reef organisms and snorkeling. Accordingly, subsequent environmental hazards have been created and thereby impacted the coastline and the marine ecosystem. The living corals and the marine ecology in the reef system have suffered dramatic degradation. The depositionalhydrodynamic pattern has been affected as a result of blocking littoral currents by protruded constructions. Subsequently, some coastal segments have been subjected to local downdrift erosion. Appropriate recommendations have been formulated for restoring and alleviating threats to marine and coastal environments, considering compatibility with the regulations of environmental conservation, preference of beach owners, and the tourist development policy in Egypt.<P>