SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCES NEW MARINE PROTECTED AREA NETWORK
South Africa announces new Marine Protected Area Network
On Thursday 25 October, the Department of Environmental Affairs announced that Cabinet approved a network of 20 new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that are representative of South Africa’s rich coastal and ocean biodiversity. This will increase protection of the ocean around South Africa from 0.4 to 5%. The new areas will advance ocean protection by approximately 50 000 km2, an area two and half times the size of the Kruger National Park.
Mr Derek Hanekom, the Acting Minister of Environmental Affairs said “This network of 20 MPAs, approved by Cabinet on Wednesday, 24 October 2018, will considerably advance South Africa’s efforts to protect our ocean heritage for future generations. They will contribute to fisheries sustainability, advance marine ecotourism, and will help maintain resilience in ecosystems that are under stress from climate change”.
The new network will advance ecosystem protection for offshore ecosystems and provide the first protection to several threatened and fragile ecosystem types. The network includes Childs Bank, a unique underwater feature with deep water corals on its sleep slopes, first protection of undersea mountains in the Indian and Atlantic, submarine canyons including South Africa’s Grand Canyon off Saldahna Bay, rare mud habitats and key areas for recovery of linefish. Support for the Marine Protected Area components of the Namaqua and Addo Elephant National Parks are also welcomed with decades of work behind the establishment of these areas.
The network is based on collaborative science with input from many institutions. SANBI scientist Dr Kerry Sink led the 5 year Offshore Marine Protected Area Project which was a key input into this work. Kerry was the lead of the Operation Phakisa Oceans Economy Marine Protected Area technical team who used advanced planning and hundreds of map layers to align protection and ocean economy goals. SANBI initiated work on expansion of Marine Protected Areas in 2006 after the 2004 National Biodiversity Assessment showed that offshore ecosystems are the least protected ecosystem types across all realms in the country. SANBI also developed co-operative research projects with industry to increase our marine biodiversity knowledge base and established the Offshore Environment Forum in 2010 to facilitate information sharing with multiple sectors. Sink said “After twelve years of hard work to support MPA expansion we are proud to have supported a spatially efficient network of MPAs that align protection and ocean economy objectives. This is a unique approach and establishes South Africa as a leader in developing country strategies for sustainable oceans”.
The new MPA network is the product of extensive consultation and negotiation with all stakeholders, which sought to ensure that the network is aligned with relevant policies and priorities for fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, as well as marine mining and oil exploration, while also protecting ecologically important areas.
Explore the 20 new Marine Protected Areas on the new website launched by SANBI in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs, the Department of Science and Technology and other partners https://www.marineprotectedareas.org.za/ .
Celebrate this milestone in African ocean protection by sharing our short film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI7Xx21ESoY
Follow SANBI on Twitter @SANBI_ZA with the hashtag #MzanSea.
For more information contact:
Name: Dr Kerry Sink
Designation: Marine Programme Manager
Landline: +27 21 799 8855
Email address: k.sink@sanbi.org.za
Website: www.sanbi.org
To setup an interview please contact:
Name: Dipolelo Moshe
Designation: Deputy Director: Marketing and Communication
Landline: +27 12 843 5021
Email address: D.Moshe@sanbi.org.za
Website: www.sanbi.org
