Increased littoral erosion at the Nile mouth Since only little sedimentation
of Nile silt takes place today along the Mediterranean at the northern coast
of the Nile delta, much stronger littoral erosion is taking place there now.
Thus in many parts the sandy beaches of former summer resorts, like Gimsa
and Ras el-Barr, have disappeared. Before the construction of the High Dam
annual sedimentation had protected the coast against gradual marine trans-
gression, which is probably also partly caused by land subsidence.
4. Ecological and economic effects along the delta coast and in the lagoons
Fishery on the Mediterranean coast, which had formerly been an important
economic activity in the area and provided the population with cheap animal
proteins, experienced a serious downturn after the High Dam began func-
tioning. The lack of Nile silt led to a decrease in plankton on which the fish
used to feed in the Mediterranean waters.