The Egyptian authorities have made key alterations to new regulations affecting Red Sea dive boat operators and their diving guests.

The regulations cover dive guide-to-guest ratios, equipping of guides and guests, guide qualifications, surface cover, and guest experience and certification.

Drawn up by the Red Sea Association for Diving and Watersports, they were approved and announced by the Governor of the Red Sea in mid-January, taking immediate effect.

The rules cover the sea area from El Gouna to the border with Sudan, the area where most liveaboards operate. Southern Sinai, covering Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba, falls under a separate governorate.

Two of the requirements caused particular concern among divers, operators and agents.

One was a rule that all divers, on liveaboards or dayboats, should present medical certification of fitness to dive, issued within the past year. The complaint was that this was contrary to the system of self-declaration forms accepted by many operators and dive organisations.

Complaints were also received over a rule that all liveaboard divers should have logged at least 50 dives. Previously this rule applied only to diving in marine parks, around the Brothers, Zabargad, Daedalus and Rocky Island.

Under the rule, a newly qualified BSAC Sport Diver or, say, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver could be barred from diving - despite being qualified, in the eyes of the training agency, to dive safely in open water with another diver of the same qualification or higher.

Critics thought this unnecessarily stiff and, since the Red Sea is popular with new divers, the potential commercial impact of the rule could not be ignored.

The RSADW agreed and has moved quickly to revamp the offending rules, with the agreement of the Governor of the Red Sea.

On 23 February, RSADW Chairman Karim Helal stated: "Further to our earlier email of last month, which relayed safari and diving rules issued by HE Governor of the Red Sea, we are pleased to advise that HE the Governor has approved some modifications that were submitted by the association based on review and analysis of market reactions and indicators."

The blanket requirement of 50 logged dives for liveaboards has been scrapped. It will remain in force only for the marine parks, accepted as relatively challenging diving areas.

And the RSADW has moved to accept the system of self-declaration of fitness to dive.

Other changes have included a relaxation of dive guide to guest ratio requirements. For non-marine park liveaboards, one guide to 12 divers is specified, where previously it was one to 10.

On dayboats, it's now one guide to 12 divers (instead of 10), where divers have done 25 dives or more. For less experienced divers, it's one guide to 8 divers (instead of 6).

Liveaboards must have at least two pairs of binoculars, operate at least one inflatable, and carry a sufficient number of life-rafts.

Crew members providing boat cover for divers must be certified in emergency oxygen administration and medic first aid.

The old rules having been suspended, there is now a three-month period of grace before the revised rules come into force, in late May.

Regarding enforcement, Karim Helal, told Divernet: "While we do not ourselves have legal powers to impose fines on violators, we are able - and have done so several times - to recommend fines, censorship and closure to be imposed."

The Governor of the Red Sea has made membership of the RSADW, a non-governmental organisation, compulsory for centres and boat operators connected with diving or other marine-related tourism.

The RSADW also sits on the Minister of Tourism's Special Advisory Group on Diving.

The RSADW is due to open a new website, www.redseaexperience.com, where its diving regulations will be posted.

Emailed enquiries should go to association@redseaexperience.com

Related links
Tighter regulations for Red Sea boats - and guests
Dead Calm (boat separations and how to avoid them)
12 divers rescued after Red Sea boat separation

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