The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) expresses grave concern over the renewed destruction and violence unfolding at the Amchit coastal site overlooking the Monk Seal Cave, a rare natural refuge for the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) — one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world.
Despite the Ministry of Environment’s formal suspension order on plot No. 345 and its request to prepare a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under Decree 8633/2012, construction and excavation activities have unlawfully resumed. This defiance not only violates environmental law but also threatens one of the last known monk seal habitats in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The situation deteriorated further when two environmental activists were assaulted during a peaceful protest on Thursday, October 23, 2025. This troubling inversion of justice, where those defending Lebanon’s natural heritage are treated as offenders, sends a dangerous message of impunity and disregard for environmental protection.
“This is not just a local issue — it is a national test of will and law,” said Assad Serhal, Director General of SPNL. “If the law cannot protect the last habitat of an endangered species, then we are not only losing biodiversity but also losing our moral compass. We call for the immediate declaration of the Amchit coast as a Marine Hima, a community-managed marine reserve that embodies Lebanon’s traditional system of environmental stewardship.”
For years, the Amchit monk seal cave has been recognized by scientists and environmental groups as a critical habitat. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Mediterranean monk seal as Critically Endangered, with fewer than 800 individuals remaining worldwide. Lebanon’s coastal caves, including the one in Amchit, represent a vital part of this species’ recovery.
SPNL recalls that the State Shura Council initially suspended the construction permit on March 14, 2024, but later rejected the appeal on procedural grounds — a decision that did not validate the project’s legality in such an environmentally sensitive zone.
SPNL stands in full solidarity with all environmental defenders risking their safety to protect Lebanon’s coastal ecosystems. The Society calls for immediate action:
SPNL’s Urgent Demands
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Immediate halt of all construction and excavation works above the Monk Seal Cave, in full compliance with the Ministry of Environment’s decision.
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Criminal accountability for all individuals and entities who violated the suspension order and assaulted environmental activists.
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Official designation of the site as a Marine Hima, in collaboration with the Municipality of Amchit, to ensure long-term community-based protection.
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Deployment of an independent scientific mission, under the joint supervision of the Ministries of Environment and Culture, to assess damage to the cave and surrounding ecosystem.
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Protection guarantees for environmental defenders and journalists reporting on environmental crimes.
“We cannot continue treating impunity as a tool to destroy Lebanon’s natural heritage,” added Serhal. “Declaring the Amchit Monk Seal Cave a Marine Hima is the only way to ensure justice for nature and safety for those who defend it.”
SPNL urges all media outlets, civil society partners, and the public to stand with Lebanon’s environmental defenders and demand that the law be enforced, not against them, but for them.
