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7 May 2009

On Friday 8 May 2009 the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, will gazette a proposal to create one of the largest Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the world around the Prince Edward Islands. The MPA located in the Southern Ocean, will also be South Africa’s first “Offshore MPA”. The gazetting of the proposal followed a five years process during which a scientific plan and a draft management plan were developed in collaboration with other role players.

The objectives of the MPA are:
* to contribute to a national and global system of protected areas
* to provide scientific reference points for research
* to contribute to the ecologically sustainable management of marine resources and
* to reduce ecological impacts of fisheries, particularly on endangered seabirds.

The proposal is in line with South Africa’s new “National Protected Area Expansion Strategy” which seeks to structure the way in which protected areas are declared to maximise benefits. This strategy drew attention to South Africa’s lack of offshore protected areas, and put forward the Prince Edward Islands as a priority area.

The financial obligations of ensuring proper management were looked at in detail in order to reach a satisfactory accommodation regarding funding commitments. Thus the proposal involves accepting that funding should not be diverted away from protection and research in our coastal waters, and that government funding for the management of the MPA would be constrained to current levels in terms of compliance and research. This means increased reliance on support from stakeholders as well as other countries through international agreements. Given the enhanced protection status of the area, transgressions by vessels fishing illegally could be dealt with even more firmly than in the past, acting as a strong deterrent for such activities.

The structure of the proposed MPA reflects its multiple objectives. Firstly there is a 12 nautical mile (22,2km) Sanctuary Area around the islands, where all activities are strictly controlled and no fishing is allowed. Secondly there are four Restricted Areas, in three of which very limited fishing is allowed, including for the purpose of scientifically monitoring the stocks of Patagonian Tooth-fish. The level of this fishing in these areas will be reviewed in the future however, in terms of an adaptive management approach, which is also new to MPA regulation in South Africa. In the Controlled Areas, which comprise the rest of the MPA, fishing will be allowed with certain gear types only, excluding bottom trawling for example. All fishing vessels will have observers on board (as per current arrangement) to ensure that the regulatory measures are respected, including the new mitigation measures to protect seabirds.

Comments on the Prince Edward Islands MPA as proposed in the gazette will be received until 16h00 on 6 July 2009.

All comments must be submitted in writing as follows:

By email: peimpa@deat.gov.za. (Preferably)
By fax: 021 402 3009: Attention Dr Alan Boyd

The gazette will be placed on the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism website after publication.

The map can be accessed from the department's website.

Contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871

Ronel Bester
Cell: 083 242 7763

Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
7 May 2009
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)