Illegal diving operations closed in South Sinai
The Chamber of Diving and Watersports has announced the closure of 23 diving centres in the South Sinai area. The centres – which include one in Taba, eight in Dahab and 14 in Sharm el Sheikh – were operating without an official Ministry of Tourism licence for two years. CDWS has tried to convince them to operate legally, however, they have all refused. A decree has now been issued for their closure.

The CDWS board said the closure of the centres is a major step towards raising standards throughout the dive industry in Egypt and ensure the level of safety for visiting divers is among the highest in the world.
For more information see the CDWS website www.cdws.travel

New underwater regulations in Egypt
The Chamber of Diving and Watersports continues to work towards increasing standards across the recreational and technical diving industry by ensuring operators’ procedures meet with the high level set out by the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC). A full list of rules and regulations are published on the CDWS website. These rules and regulations include:

Maximum depths
The implementation of WRSTC standards by CDWS means the maximum depth for recreational divers diving with compressed air is 40 meters (if the training qualifications and the experience of the divers allow).

For Enriched Air Diving the maximum depth is up to a partial pressure of oxygen (PPo2) = 1.4 ATA.

For more information about the depth limit rules for other activities including advanced enriched air, extended range and all technical diving see the CDWS Rules and Regulations section read more here.

Use of knives and gloves
As part of the CDWS move to ensure greater protection of the marine environment, there are strict rules in place with regards to the use of knives and gloves by divers. To read the official CDWS statement on wearing gloves and carrying dive knives.

For more information see the CDWS website www.cdws.travel