The new MPAs were identified through Operation Phakisa‚ a presidential project to fast-track the development of South Africa’s Ocean Economy.
“Many of these new MPAs aim to protect offshore ecosystems and species‚ ranging from deep areas along the Namibian border to a more than tenfold expansion of iSimangaliso Wetland Park in the KwaZulu-Natal Province."
The new MPAs will secure protection of marine habitats like reefs‚ mangroves and coastal wetlands which are required to help protect coastal communities from the results of storm surges‚ rising sea-levels and extreme weather. Offshore‚ these MPAs will protect vulnerable habitats and secure spawning grounds for various marine species‚ therefore helping to sustain fisheries and ensure long-term benefits important to food and job security.
The proposed MPA in the shelf and shelf edge area off Port Elizabeth in South Africa’s Algoa Bay is intended to serve as a seaward extension of the terrestrial Addo Elephant National Park. It spans the entire Algoa Bay and incorporates the Bird Island Group Marine Protected Area, a no-take area that protects important breeding habitat for seabirds such as the Cape gannet and African penguin, as well as a breeding colony of Cape fur seals. The proposed MPA is intended to be a multiple use area that protects these species and the many coastal habitats found in Algoa Bay, including rocky and sandy shores, estuaries, and offshore areas.
