View Document - Parliament of South Africa

1417 MONDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 2008
1418
from the public service on account of misconduct
with effect from the date immediately
succeeding his or her last day of
attendance at his or her place of duty.
Sale of confiscated abalone
1829. Mr L W GREYLING (ID) asked the
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism:
What was the financial contribution from
the sale of confiscated abalone to the
Marine Living Resources Fund in the past
financial year? NW2621E
The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS AND TOURISM:
Fifty million, four hundred and four thousand,
seven hundred and eighty-four rand
and twenty cents (R50 404 784,20) was received
by the Marine Living Resources
Fund from the sale of confiscated abalone in
the 2007-08 financial year.
Enforcement of provision of MPA in
Stilbaai
1841. Mr I F JULIES (DA) asked the
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism:
(1) Whether his department has the capacity
to enforce the provisions of a
marine protected area (MPA) in the
Stilbaai area; if not, why not; if so,
what are the relevant details
(2) what benefits will accrue to the
marine ecosystem from declaring
this area a MPA;
(3) (a) when was (i) the notice of intention
to declare a MPA in Stilbaai
announced and (ii) the period for
public comment closed and (b) how
many comments were received during
the public participation process;
(4) whether any comments were included
in the final provisions of the
MPA; if not, why not; if so, what are
the relevant details? NW2633E
The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS AND TOURISM:
(1) Yes. The department has a contractual
agreement with CapeNature (signed in
2007) to assist it in the management of
five Marine Protected Areas in the
Western Cape, including the new
(2)
Stilbaai MPA. The department itself
actively manages the Stilbaai fishing
harbour which falls within the MPA.
Both DEAT and CapeNature staff are
authorised to act throughout the MPA.
NGOs are also playing an important
support role.
The main benefits of the MPA include:
(a) Providing protection from fishing
for marine species in two marine
restricted areas to assist with the
recovery and sustainable use of
over-exploited marine species, in
particular linefish.
(b) Providing complete protection to
over 75% of the Goukou estuary so
that it can function as a nursery
area for estuarine fish, and estuarine-dependent
marine fish. (Also
improved catchment-to-coast management).
(c) Protecting the coastline including
the ‘‘visvywers’’ (indigenous
stone fish traps), and establishing
continuity between the terrestrial
Geelkrans Reserve and the new
Geelkrans Restricted area of the
MPA. (A conservation corridor.)
(d) Overall improved environmental
protection of the area and its
biodiversity.
(e) Allowing the continuation of recreational
and commercial activities
in the controlled zone.
(3) (a) The notice to propose the MPA
was published on 14 October
2005. The period allowed for com-