State of Management of South Africa’s ... - WWF South Africa

STATE OF MANAGEMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MARINE PROTECTED AREASEQUIPMENT (56%)There was sufficient basic equipment for onshore and offshore compliance operations(offshore limited by lack of skipper and launch site). Radios and a cell phone were requiredto enable communication during operations. Another four-wheel drive vehicle was neededespecially during the rain season when the condition of the roads deteriorates. There wassufficient administrative equipment.INFRASTRUCTURE (48%)Visitor facilities in the reserves consisted of six cottages and a camp site in Dwesa and theHaven Hotel in Cwebe. The ablution facilities at the camp site were in poor condition.There were two offices for the nature reserves, the one in Dwesa was adequate and in goodcondition, the one in Cwebe was not used. The staff accommodation in the reservesconsisted of small cottages which were old and in poor condition. Dwesa Nature Reservehad three open access points, two of these were sign posted and controlled and one was anunmanned pathway open to the local community. The Cwebe Nature Reserve had twoaccess points both of which were sign posted and controlled. The access roads to the NatureReserves were dirt tracks that were most suitably accessed by four-wheel drives or at leastwith vehicles with high ground clearance. Four-wheel drives were needed for most of theroads within the reserves. There was one possible launch site for management at theMbashe River mouth. A storage facility for the boat was required.Maintenance of most of the facilities was taking place to a satisfactory standard but could beimproved in some areas.BUDGET (67%)The MPA is jointly funded by MCM and ECPB. The budget was found to be sufficient forcritical management activities. The funds from MCM were secured via the contract betweenECPB and MCM and had been used to purchase capital equipment. There was fundingavailable for additional staff members to be dedicated to the MPA.ProcessesBOUNDARY DEMARCATION (33%)There was inadequate boundary demarcation for the MPA. The southern border of DwesaNature Reserve and the Northern border of Cwebe Nature Reserve were demarcated byfences. The fence extended up to the rocks on the shore at Dwesa and up to the beach atCwebe but there was no indication there that these were the borders of the MPA. There weresigns at four of the five access points (one vandalised and removed at the foot path intoDwesa) that indicated that the area is a nature reserve and MPA but no map was provided.Pg 106