Marine protected areas for whales, dolphins, and porpoises: a world ...

Habitat Protection for Cetaceans around the World 257
Notes and rationale For more information
• Betty’s Bay MPA, adjacent to the existing Greater Betty’s Bay • Attwood et al, 1997;
Nature Reserve, set up in 1985 and named as one of 19 MPAs in Lemm and Attwood, 2003
1998, has been actively managed by the Overstrand Municipality • Contact: Marine and
due to abalone poaching which had to be controlled. However, Coastal Management,
detailed arrangements and agreements with MCM need to be made Ministry of Environmental
to institute a comprehensive management regime for the MPA, Affairs and Tourism,
including a multi-zone plan, but it may be best to wait for the Cape Town;
decision on the proposed expansion to the larger Kogelberg MPA web:
(Lemm and Attwood, 2003). For now, MCM has worked out an www.environment.gov.za
arrangement with Overstrand Municipality to enforce provisions of • Overstrand Municipality;
the Marine Living Resources Act in this area. web:
• Although Betty’s Bay is a small MPA at present, cetaceans are
found in and around the area. Studies need to be done to
determine if cetacean critical habitat has been partly protected by
the MPA or if expansion into the much larger Kogelberg MPA could
turn this into an effective MPA for cetaceans and other species
as well.
• Marine tourism possibilities include sea kayaking, and whale and
seabird watching.
www.overstrand.gov.za
• Located next to Goukamma Nature Reserve (declared under the • Attwood et al, 1997;
Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance 19/1974), it Robinson and De Graaff,
was named as one of 19 MPAs in the Marine Living Resources Act 1994; Lemm and Attwood,
No 18 of 1998. 2003
• Managed by WCNCB with a management plan, prepared in 2001, • Contact: Marine and
which does not consider the MPA but only the land-based Coastal Management,
reserve. The management plan needs to be reviewed along Ministry of Environmental
with the development of a zoning plan to manage the various Affairs and Tourism,
activities within the MPA and the implementation of a formal Cape Town;
management agreement with MCM (Lemm and Attwood, 2003). web:
These authors also recommend the expansion of the MPA www.environment.gov.za
boundaries to include the entire reef and estuary. • Western Cape Nature
• Tourism, including whale and dolphin watching, is a key Conservation Board
component of the MPA and needs to be managed wisely. At (WCNCB);
present this MPA has very limited management. web:
www.capenature.org.za
• Conservation initiatives have focused on St Helena’s unique • Wells and Bleakley, 1995
terrestrial fauna and flora but Wells and Bleakley (1995) were the
first to propose that the entire island be designated as a biosphere
reserve to include at least nearshore waters. This could in effect
provide habitat protection for a known resident nearshore spotted
dolphin population.
• Dolphin fishery here has ended and today schools on the island
take dolphin watch tours.
• Surveys should be conducted to determine distribution and habitat
needs of other cetaceans and marine species.