Kogelberg IMP - 2nd SH meeting Report.pdf - Anchor Environmental

BC – you can also provide feedback on the draft KCIMP in writing. Please look at the plan and raise
any comments or concerns by January next year.
Strategies:
BC – the strategies are a proposal of how to put the objectives into practice. The diagram of
objectives and strategies indicates that all the objectives are interlinked and essentially underpin
one another.
Zonation:
BC ‐ this is likely to be the most contentious section. A proposal that was supported in the focus
group meetings was the proclamation of one large zoned Marine Protected Area (MPA) similar to
that of the Table Mountain MPA which has no take zones and controlled areas in which a blanket
exemption has been granted.
A similar initiative is proposed for the Kogelberg however it will be designed to benefit local
communities through exemptions for the exploitation of inshore resources, like kelp, abalone and
rock lobster, in controlled zones by local small‐scale fishers only. It is proposed that a general
exemption be passed for all recreational fishers to fish in the controlled zones so as not to impact on
the tourism industry in the area. Exemptions will also be granted for the exploitation of offshore and
migratory resources by large scale commercial rights holders where applicable.
All exemptions will be granted within 80% of the coastline of the MPA, the remaining 20%
will be a no take sanctuary area. This no take area is necessary so to ensure that the inshore
resources (which are to be utilized exclusively by local small scale fishers and recreational fishers)
can be sustained from within the MPA. We need to identify 20% of the coastline to be declared no
take. The zones still need to be identified and negotiated. What we need from this meeting is in
principle support for the idea before we invest effort in determining where the no take zone/zones
will be located. The Bot Estuary Management Plan (EMP) has been integrated into this draft plan,
but we acknowledge that the Bot EMP is still not finalized. We hope that it gets carried forward and
incorporated in this KCIMP. It is important to understand that the one large zoned MPA is at this
point only a proposal and that if you support it in principle we can take it forward and present it to
Marine and Coastal Management.
Comment 5 – The Betty’s Bay MPA is the only section of the Kogelberg coast that is safe for angling
from the shore. Rooiels has a dangerous coastline. Angling must be allowed in Betty’s Bay MPA as it
attracts visitors and is the only area where geelbek can be caught. Anglers are not the only culprits
on the coast. Visitors scramble over rocks and allow dogs on beaches. If you close a section of coast
to angling you must close it to all users.
Response BC – We are not here to discuss where the no take zones will be located. This will
be taken up in negotiations next year once we have in principle support from you for a large zoned
MPA with 20% of the coast no take. The negotiation process will be a long process to be initiated
next year. One issue brought up in a focus group meeting regarding the closure of the Betty’s Bay
MPA was that of equity. Currently small scale fishers are not permitted to fish here while
recreational fishers can from the shore.