The Head of the Central Administration for Tourism and Resorts in Alexandria Mohamed Abdel-Razek addressed concerned social media posts after photos of fishermen with small sharks supposedly caught on Alexandria beaches went viral.
“First, the observed photos are not on Egyptian beaches, and secondly, it is normal for small sharks to be present at this time of the year, which is the mating season,” he said during a telephone interview with Lamis al-Hadidi on Egypt’s “Last Word” (Kalema Akhera) television show on ON satellite channel..
“However, its habitat is 2.5 to 3 kilometers away from the shores of Alexandria, but the mating season is a major reason for its abundant presence.”
“The beaches of Alexandria are safe, and the coasts of the Mediterranean in general, because this fish lives at great depths and does not live in shallow waters, where the temperature of the beaches differs from the temperature of the depths,” he assured.
“The difference in temperature between the depths and the shallow waters, the food that sharks need is not available on the beaches because the food is in the depths, in addition to the fact that these sharks, after their growth and large size, leave.”
Abdel-Razek assured that Alexandria Governor Mohamed al-Sherif, issued instructions to form specialized work groups on the shores of Alexandria to follow up on any abnormal phenomena.
He added that fishermen have been warned to report immediately to authorities when any type of sharks are spotted to deal with them immediately.
Beaches reopen
Authorities in the Red Sea in coordination with the Red Sea Reserves have reopened areas shut down following a shark attack in Hurghada.
The reopened area extends from the old Sheraton Beach to Sinbad.
The Red Sea governor earlier in June ordered to reopen all Hurghada beaches – except for the area of the shark attack – after the completion of the marine survey, and a closure that lasted for about 48 hours.
A team of marine scientists, in cooperation with the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, embalmed a tiger shark which recently killed a Russian tourist in the Red Sea.
Five embalming experts who specialized in the field of mummification of marine organisms took part in the process.
The shark was caught by a number of fishermen in Hurghada, after it attacked a Russian tourist while he was swimming close a beach in Hurghada earlier in June.
