State of the Bay Report 2011-Final.pdf - Anchor Environmental

State of Saldanha Bay & Langebaan Lagoon 2011
Recommendations
Parameter monitored Time period Anthropogenic induced impact
BENTHIC MACROFAUNA
Species biomass 1975-2011 Increased biomass of benthic macrofauna in Small
Bay and Big Bay.
Decreased biomass of benthic macrofauna in
Langebaan Lagoon.
Significant decrease in benthic health in Small Bay,
and slight improvement in Big Bay from 2008-2011
Species diversity 1975-2011 Significant decreased species diversity at all Small
Bay sites, increased species diversity in Big Bay, no
significant changes in Langebaan Lagoon.
ROCKY INTERTIDAL
Impact of alien mussel and
barnacle introductions
FISH
Community composition
and abundance
BIRDS
Population numbers of key
species in Saldanha Bay and
islands
Population numbers of key
species in Langebaan
Lagoon
1980-2011 Displacement of local mussel and other native
species from the lower shore leading to decreased
species diversity (negative).
1986-2011 Baseline conditions established against which to
measure future changes.
Causes of changes in fish communities not clearly
discernable from natural variability, but some
concern due to mounting anthropogenic pressures
on fish stocks and the supporting environment.
1977-2011 Decreasing populations of Cape, Bank and Whitebreasted
Cormorants are attributed to
construction of causeway and increasing human
disturbance.
1976-2011 Some recovery of resident populations of waders
in Langebaan Lagoon. Continued decrease in
migrant waders utilising Langebaan Lagoon,
attributed to diminishing feeding grounds and
human disturbance.
253
ANCHOR
e n v i r o n m en t a l