SOUTH AFRICA -- New measures to protect South Africa's heavily exploited marine resources and to prevent poaching will be announced this week - and they could include the formation of a fully fledged coast guard. This was hinted at by Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Monday as he launched National Environment Week on Bird Island in Algoa Bay near Port Elizabeth. Bird Island is home to the world's largest gannet colony and contains several endangered and threatened bird species like the roseate tern and the African penguin. It is also surrounded by reefs, which are the habitat of many highly endangered reef fish species and abalone. No fishing or diving will be allowed As a result, it has been heavily targeted by abalone poachers over the past few years and intensely fished for more than a century. But later this week, a 24 square nautical mile zone around the island will be formally gazetted as a marine protected area, and the islands - Bird Island is the biggest of four - will be managed as part of the Greater Addo National Park. No fishing or diving will be allowed here. Van Schalkwyk said he would release the full details this week of four new marine protected areas (MPAs) - including Bird Island and the Cape Peninsula marine protected area, to be managed as part of the Table Mountain National Park. | | "These are national parks on the sea, and they will enable us to create a refuge for certain species that are on the brink of extinction, as a place to recover," he said. Asked whether his department would put in sufficient resources such as manpower and boats to give proper effect to these newly proclaimed marine reserve areas, he replied: "When I was premier of the Western Cape, one of the elements I felt very strongly that we were lacking in South Africa was a coast guard to really enforce what needed to be enforced. "And it's no good our announcing new legal frameworks and regulations when we simply don't have the ability to enforce those. "So in announcing the marine protected areas later this week, we will announce more details on that enforcement issue as well." His director-general, Chippy Olver, said they intended putting in place the capacity to deliver the MPAs. SOURCE - IOL |
