Divers and social media users shared pictures of barracuda fish in the Red Sea in Egypt.
After speculations about the extent of the danger of this fish, and whether its appearance in the waters of the Red Sea causes concern, the Environmental Affairs Agency of the Red Sea governorate said that “the appearance of the barracuda fish in the Red Sea is normal.”
It stressed that this fish is one of the endemic species in the waters of the Red Sea and does not pose any danger, and what is being circulated as “the most dangerous and fierce,” leads to unnecessary confusion and fear.
The Environmental Affairs Agency added that divers in the waters of the Red Sea organize diving trips to see barracuda fish and sharks in the Al-Akhawain and Al-Zabargad areas.
The privately-owned Al-Watan newspaper quoted a source in the agency as saying that “specialists know very well that the waters of the Red Sea contain about 1,144 species of fish, and that 14% of these fish are endemic species in the Red Sea environment, including the barracuda and the shark.”
He pointed out that “the barracuda is not large in size, and has sharp teeth, and feeds on fish that are less insize to them.”
The source confirmed that “no incident was reported indicating that a diver was attacked by a barracuda fish, so what is reported to be the most dangerous and most deadly raises a kind of unnecessary controversy.”
He stressed that “divers are more familiar with the nature of the “barracuda” fish, and some of them organize special trips to see these fish as they are endemic to the Red Sea environment and their existence is linked to the genesis of the Red Sea itself.”
The source pointed out the importance of adhering to the rules of safe diving to see fish, especially with barracudas and sharks, and in general in the waters of the Red Sea.
