HEPCA is a non-profit NGO working in the field of environmental conservation and protection of the coral reefs, land ecosystems and the coastline of the Red Sea in Egypt.

HEPCA stands for Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association.

No. HEPCA is a recognized NGO – Non Governmental Organisation - registered with the Red Sea Governorate and established by members of the Red Sea diving community.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) is any non-profit making, voluntary citizens' group which is organised on a local, national or international level. Task-orientated and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions; bring citizen concerns to Governments; advocate and monitor policies; and encourage political participation through the provision of information.  Some are organised around specific issues, such as human rights, environment or health. They provide analysis and expertise; serve as early warning mechanisms; and help monitor and implement international agreements. For more information see: www.ngo.org.

Our mandate is the protection and conservation of land and marine ecology.  We seek to implement provisions to protect the underwater environment of the coral reefs and the land ecosystems of the Red Sea area.  We embark on many projects and campaigns concerning the well-being of our environment, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our projects are working according to their purpose.

At HEPCA’s core is a no compromise attitude for the future. Our objectives have remained essentially unchanged from day one; working towards the goal of protecting and preserving the natural resources of the Red Sea and Egypt.

Compared to many waters in the world, the condition of the Red Sea is still pristine. As much as19% of worldwide coral reefs have effectively been lost; and less than half of the world’s coral reefs are deemed to be healthy and under no danger from predictable events. We want our marine life to stay as healthy as it is right now and furthermore improve its living standard. The coral growth around Giftun - an island located in front of Hurghada - increased by 3% last year, which was only possible due to efforts from our devoted community to protect the reefs. 

However, more than 8 million tourists are visiting Egypt every year, and a main attraction is the spectacular coral reefs and fascinating marine life of the Red Sea. Dive tourism is booming – divers and snorkellers can choose from over 300 diving centres and liveaboard vessel operators in the Hurghada region alone.

Clearly such economic potential represents a superb opportunity for a developing country such as Egypt; but with success comes pressure, responsibilities and concerns. Mass construction of hotels and holiday homes; vast numbers of water users and water craft; over fishing and pollution… these are just some of the issues affecting this region as it basks in an explosion of tourism growth.

Environmental deterioration is no longer a threat but a reality. Each day in the Red Sea we are witness to the depletion of the very resource foundation that attracts so many visitors here in the first place. Without proper environmental and logistical planning, and interventions to promote sustainable development, the corals and marine life of the Red Sea will die… affecting not only the environment, but hundreds of thousands of livelihoods, ultimately causing the degradation of the entire tourism industry along the Red Sea coast of Egypt.

The mooring buoy system was the founding project of HEPCA. It was designed and installed after the organisation was established to protect the reefs from damage due to anchoring vessels.  Instead of throwing out an anchor to be stabilise vessels at sea, the boats are now able to fix themselves to the buoys. The initial number of 100 mooring buoys has by now increased to more than 1600 throughout the Red Sea, making it the largest mooring system in the world, covering a coastline of 860km.

HEPCA does not receive any payment from dive centres to finance the moorings; nor do we request funding for maintenance work. The use of the system is free for the vessels.

Normal abrasion eventually leads to the system requiring maintenance, and our diving team monitor every single buoy for this reason.

Problems occur when skippers do not use the system properly, and even though more than 800 boat skippers have received training in how to use the mooring buoys, some vessels are still not following the correct guidelines for using them.  Often this leads to ropes breaking.  Furthermore, problems occur when fishermen steal and sell the buoys, shackles or chains.

Because of all these reasons, the HEPCA mooring team is constantly replacing ropes, chains, shackles and buoys.

So far Safaga is the only diving community, who independently maintains its 113 mooring buoys and is therefore a great example of community participation.

Yes.  We can provide you with clean-up kits: gloves and bags.  HEPCA is not responsible for taking care of oil spills in the water, but we will always seek to advise and support during clean-up operations.  Each hotel, dive centre, or residency is responsible for its own beach and coastline and has a duty of care for its cleanliness.

Our members are dive centres, hotels & resorts, small businesses, safari boat operators and tourism developers working in the Red Sea governorate.  A membership is not obligatory, therefore we are very proud to be supported by so many partners, who believe in the work we are doing!

Our members support our work by paying an annual fee of 1500 LE.  If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact sashary@hepca.com

HEPCA would not be able to do the work we do without support.  But it is not the financial support, we rely on. It is much more the certainty to know that we are being supported by what we believe in and what we fight for; the certainty to know that our members have the same intention to take care of our environment and to protect the resources we have in Egypt. This makes us a great community and the bigger the community the better are our chances to achieve, what we are fighting for.

As a HEPCA member, you are joining a community who cares about the well-being of our unique environment.  With your help, we are able to improve the living conditions not only of our marine life but also of our whole society on a much wider scale than individual actions can ever accomplish.

Our members nominate 11 individuals to represent them on the Board of Directors, who in turn give direction to HEPCA’s Executive Director and support staff.

Private funding from members and individuals is necessary for our survival but HEPCA is also fortunate to receive considerable funding from the public and private sector. Supporters include: the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Coca Cola International, Vodafone Egypt International and many others.

However, most of the money HEPCA has availbale was earned through private mooring installations, as in the Hurghada New Marina for example.

The original objective of HEPCA was to find a solution to anchoring damage on the reefs of the Red Sea. Within the years HEPCA started more projects and campaigns concerning environmental conservation under water as well as on land. A great responsibility arises with every action taken to protect our pristine nature.

Unfortunately, many dive and day-trip operators still do not recognise the responsibility they have in bringing guests to the reefs and showing them its beauty. People stepping on reefs, misusing the mooring buoys and feeding fish are part of the daily reality at our dive and snorkel sites.

We recognise that there is a need for patrolling on the sites of the Red Sea. But it is not the responsibility of HEPCA to do so.  HEPCA is not a watchdog!

It is the duty of the Coast Guard, Navy and National Park management to check for the incorrect behaviour of the vessels and the people on them.

You can do your bit to support this, by ensuring that you behave in a responsible manner: use the buoys correctly, look but don’t touch anything underwater, don’t chase the dolphins.  If you see somebody behaving in a derogatory way, ask them politely to stop and explain why.   If all operating vessels on the sea would not only watch but act towards wrong behaviour, we would have hundreds of patrolling boats!

HEPCA cannot be out on the sea watching boats every day. But you are out there. If you witness any violation to our reefs, please report it to us on this website under "Get involved" --> "Report violation". Especially photo data showing the violation and the violater are important for this.

You can complete an online form on our website: HEPCA Violation Report

We are currently designing an individual membership plan and will announce this as soon as it is ready.  Until then, you are still able to get involved.

Members & Supporters Evening: We host a Members & Supporters event on the last Monday of every month: 8:00pm Papas Bar, New Marina, Hurghada.  Anyone is welcome.  Come and share your ideas with the Red Sea community!

Beach & Reef Clean-ups:  See our Get Involved pages for more information on organising or joining an event.

HEPCA Habitat:  Organise a HEPCA Habitat event and an expert will help you to become more conservation friendly day-to-day.