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

STATE OF MANAGEMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MARINE PROTECTED AREASThe inner edge of the warm Agulhas current runs along the Aliwal Shoal providing conditionsfor a rich diversity of tropical marine biota consisting of hard and soft corals, turtles and reeffish, as well as whale sharks, tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks and large congregations ofragged tooth sharks. The protection of the Aliwal Shoal is important for research, for theconservation of fish species (as it contains breeding and nursery areas) and for tourismactivities as it is a popular dive site,The area is utilised by divers, ski boat fishers, charter fishers, spear fishers, rock and surffishers and commercial fishers. Conflicts have arisen between divers and fishermen, charterand commercial fishers and ski-boat fishers and the diving community partaking in tigershark chumming. The marine environment and resources are threatened by overexploitation,polluted estuaries and development in the coastal zone.Paul Buchel (District Conservation Officer), George Nair (Cluster Manager) and JenniferOlbers (Scientific Services) were consulted for this MPA.8.3.2 Legal and organisational frameworkThe Aliwal Shoal MPA was proclaimed under the MLRA in 2004. The objectives provided forthe MPA are to: Protect and conserve the marine ecosystem and populations of marine species inand around the Aliwal Shoal To reduce user-conflicts over the use of the Aliwal Shoal To promote eco-tourism within the MPAThe co-ordinates for the boundaries of the MPA and its zones and regulations for activities inthe zones, vessel use and SCUBA diving are provided in the schedule.It was indicated by EKZN Wildlife that regulations to control the number of boats and diversallowed on the shoal at any one time was needed. The SCUBA diver permit system could notbe effectively implemented as divers could not keep their permits on them while engaging inactivities in the MPA and it was suggested that a more user friendly plastic card system beestablished.8.3.3 MPA designMPA DESIGN (58%)The Aliwal Shoal and the two wrecks were fully incorporated in the MPA and afforded extraprotection; however the Protea Banks, which are important for the protection of deep waterspecies and sharks, were not included in the MPA. EKZNW indicated that there was not asufficient buffer zone around the core areas and suggested that the restricted area beexpanded and that shore fishing should be prohibited. There was a zoning systemimplemented to keep fishers off the Aliwal Shoal and Produce wreck which are popular divesites. There were difficulties in ensuring compliance by fishers as there was no offshoredemarcation of the restricted zone.Pg 126