On April 12, 2004 the national program for monitoring the Gulf of Eilat publicized their report stating that there is a serious decline in the condition of the coral reef.  The program is operated by a team of professionals including specialists in Marine Biology and employees of the Ministry of Environment.

 Several weeks before the government's decision regarding the removal of the fish cages, the environmental organizations received additional confirmation that their claims have been true all along – that the fish cages must be removed from the waters of the Red Sea.   The findings in the report showed that the fish cages penetrate 280 tons of nitrogen to the Gulf of Eilat, while all the other polluters combined including Akaba, penetrate a sum total of 50 ton of nitrogen.   The report also showed:

·         In 2004 the corals in Eilat continued to die

·         In 2004 there was an additional increase in the amount of seaweed as a result of the large concentration of nitrogen in the water

·         The sea porcupine population has declined by 600%.  The sea porcupine is supposed to eat the seaweed that develops, but as a result of the worsening conditions of the water, its population can not flourish.

·         In comparison to 2001-2003, there has been an additional 20% decline in the growth of corals on the reef.

  Zalul and other environmental organizations stress that these facts not be ignored and ask the government not to consider political motives when making their decision about the fish cages.  The ministers must adopt the recommendations of the courts and the Planning Committee that concluded several times over – the fish cages must be removed from the Gulf of Eilat.