Through the declaration of and additional four marine protected areas (MPA's), the total of South Africa's coastline falling within protected areas are just less than 20%. Our MPA's will create an important refuge for a number of fishstocks under substantial pressure, and have added to our reputation as world-leader in the conservation of marine resources
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AND CLOSED AREAS
There are several types of areas in the marine and coastal environment where special regualtions apply for conservation, fishery management and the promotion of tourism. These include:
Marine Protected Areas, which are declared under Section 43 of the Marine Living Resources Act. In general no fishing, construction work, pollution, or any form of disturbance is allowed here unless written permission has been granted by the Mininster.
Closed Areas, which are declared under Section 77 of the Marine Living Resources Act. Fishing is restricted or prohibited entirely in these areas as indicated below.
National Parks, which are declared under the National Parks Act. Regulations that apply in these areas are not listed here, except in those cases where the National Park has also been declared as a Marine Protected Area.
Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, which is declared under the World Heritage Convention Act and is managed by the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park Authority. Fishing in this area is subject to the provisions described here for the St. Lucia and Maputaland Marine Protected Areas.
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
Langebaan Lagoon Marine Protected Area
Langebaan Lagoon is divided into three zones. Recreational fishing is allowed in the northern-most zone (Zone A), north of a line joining Beacons LB4, in Kraal Bay, and LB3, at Oesterwal.
Sixteen Mile Beach Marine Protected Area
No fishing from the shore is allowed in the area between Plankies and Rooipan se Klippe (near Yzerfontein).
Malgas Island, Jutten Island and Marcus Island Marine Protected Areas
No fishing is allowed along the shores of these islands.
Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area
No fishing is allowed in the following restricted zones:
St James Restricted Zone: between the tidal pool at St James and the tidal pool at Kalk Bay. Exact boundary coordinates are:
34°07’.123S; 018°27’.568E
34°07’.567S; 018°27’.050E
34°07’.567S; 018°27’.568E
Boulders Restricted Zone: in the area between the eastern end of Simonstown harbour and Oatlands. Exact boundary coordinates are:
34°11’.567S; 018°26’.762E
34°12’.705S; 018°27’.781E
34°10’.581S; 018°27’.196E
34°10’.581S; 018°27’.196E
34°10’.581S; 018°27’.781E
Castle Rock Restricted Zone: between the beacon VB1 at Millers Point and VB2 at Partridge Point, extending approximately one nautical mile seawards. Exact boundary coordinates are:
34°15’.480S; 018°28’.344E
34°14’.100S; 018°28’.508E
34°14’.100S; 018°29’.300E
34°15’.480S; 018°29’.300E
Paulsberg Restricted Zone: between Smitswinkel Point and Venus Pool, and extending approximately one nautical mile seawards. Exact boundary coordinates are:
34°17’.744S; 018°28’.020E
34°16’.549S; 018°28’.464E
34°16’.549S; 018°29’.000E
34°17’.744S; 018°29’.000E
Cape of Good Hope Restricted Zone: between Hoek van die Bobbejaan and the fence at Scarborough, and extending approximately one nautical mile seawards. Exact boundary coordinates are:
34°12’.271S; 018°22’.194E
34°18’.393S; 018°24’.258E
34°16’.490S; 018°22’.194E
34°18’.393S; 018°23’.500E
Karbonkelberg Restricted Zone: between the Sentinal and Hout Bay and Oudekraal, and extending 3.3 nautical miles offshore at the widest point. Exact boundary coordinates are: 34°03’.660S; 018°20’.252E
33°58’.757S; 018°21’.847E
34°03’.660S; 018°17’.797E
33°58’.757S; 018°17’.797E
Helderberg Marine Protected Area
No fishing is allowed between the mouth of the Eerste River and the mouth of the Lourens River in False Bay, extending 500m seawards from the high-water mark.
Betty’s Bay Marine Protected Area
Only shore angling is allowed between beacon B1 at Stoney Point and beacon B4, to the east of Jock-se-baai, extending two nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
De Hoop Marine Protected Area
No fishing is allowed between beacon DH1 at Still Bay Point and beacon DH2 between Rys Point and Skipskop, extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
Goukamma Marine Protected Area
Only shore angling is allowed between Portion 1 of the farm Walker’s Point at Buffels Bay and the western boundary of the Goukamma Nature Reserve, extending two nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
Robberg Marine Protected Area
No fishing is allowed in a rectangular area surrounding the Robberg Peninsula between the latitudes 34°04’.916S and 34°07’.633S and the longitudes 023°22’.300E and 023°25’.967E, although shore angling is allowed.
Tsitsikamma National Park (includes the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area)
No fishing is allowed between Groot River at Oubos to Groot River at Nature’s Valley, extending three nautical miles sea-wards from the high-water mark.
Sardinia Bay Marine Protected Area
No fishing is allowed between beacon PECR1 near Schoenmakerskop and beacon PECR2 near Bushy Park, extending one nautical mile seawards from the high-water mark.
Bird Island MPA
No fishing is allowed around Bird island in Algoa Bay within a rectangle defined by the latitudes 33° 48.0S and 33° 52.5S and the longitudes 026° 14.5E and 026° 20.0E
Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area
No fishing is allowed between the western bank of the mouth of the Suku River (in the District of Elliotdale) and Human’s Rock (in the district of Willowvale), including the tidal portion of the Mbashe River, extending six nautical miles seawards of the high-water mark.
HluIeka Marine Protected Area
No fishing is allowed adjacent to the Hluleka Nature Reserve (in the Ngqeleni District), extending six nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
Pondoland MPA
No offshore fishing is allowed in the area bounded by a line running 128° from the southern head of the Sikombe River, a line running 128° from the northern head of the Mboyti River and the 1000-m isobath. No shore-based fishing is allowed along the following four sections of coast:
1. From 31° 10’.3S; 030° 07’.5E to 31° 12’.5S; 030° 05’.2E
2. From 31° 15’.0S; 030° 02’.9E to 31° 16’.8S; 030° 01’.2E
3. From 31° 17’.6S; 030° 00’.6E to 31° 19’.1S; 029° 58’.5E
4. From 31° 25’.4S; 029° 51’.2E to 31° 27’.0S; 029° 45’.5E
No fishing is allowed in the Mtentu and Sikaba estuaries.
Trafalgar Marine Protected Area
Only shore angling and fishing for certain pelagic fish is allowed between beacon N1 south of Centre Rocks and beacon N2 opposite the southern boundary of the Mpenjati Resort, extending 500 m seawards from the high-water mark.
Aliwal Shoal MPA
No fishing is allowed on Aliwal Shoal, near Umkomaas, nor around the wreck of the Produce.
The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park (includes St Lucia and Maputaland Marine Protected Areas)
St Lucia Marine Protected Area extends from beacon N3 north of Ngoboseleni Stream to beacon N4 south of Cap Vidal, and extends three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark. No fishing is allowed in the Sanctuary Zone between beacon N5 at Red Cliffs and beacon N6 at Leven Point, extending three nautical miles due east from the high-water mark. In the Restricted Zones which lie to the north of beacon N5 at Red Cliffs and to the south of beacon N6 at Leven Point, respectively, shore anglers may catch fish, and skiboat anglers and spearfishers may catch certain species of pelagic fish.
Maputaland Marine Protected Area extends frombeacon N7 at the Moçambique border to beacon N3 north of Ngoboseleni Stream, extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
No fishing is allowed in the Sanctuary Zone between the beacon N8 at Boteler Point and beacon N9 500m south of Dog Point, extending three nautical miles due east from the high-water mark.
No fishing is allowed in the Sanctuary Zone between the beacon N7 at the Moçambique border and the beacon N13, extending three nautical miles due east from the high-water mark, except that shore angling is allowed north of beacon N27, which lies 2 km south of the mouth of the Kosi Lakes.
In the Restricted Zones between beacon N13 and beacon N8 and between beacon N9 and beacon N3 shore anglers may catch fish, and skiboat anglers and spearfishers may catch certain species of pelagic fish.
CLOSED AREAS
St Helena Bay
No rock lobster may be caught between Stompneus Point and beacons SHBE/DR at Wilde Varkens Valley (near Doctor’s Reef), extending six nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
No rock lobster may be caught between Shell Bay Point and Stompneus Point, extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
Saldanha Bay
No rock lobster may be caught between North Head and South Head (the entire Saldanha Bay).
Table Bay
No rock lobster may be caught between Melkbos Point (beacon MB1) and Die Josie (near Chapman’s Peak - beacon MB2), extending 12 nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
Strand
Only shore angling (and no other type of fishing) is allowed between the mouth of the Lourens River, and the eastern breakwater of the harbour at Gordon’s Bay, extending 500 m seawards.
Mudge Point
Only shore angling and the catching of rock lobster is allowed between the western limit of the Hawston harbour and the eastern limit of the Frans Senekal Reserve, extending 100 m seawards from the high-water mark.
Onrus River
Only shore angling is allowed inside Harderbaai north of a line drawn between the beacons at Van der Riet Hoek (OR1) and Marine Drive Point (OR2) respectively.
Hermanus
Only shore angling (and no other type of fishing) is allowed between the beacons at Kraal Rock (HR1), Walker Bay, and Rietfontein (HR2), Hermanus, extending 500 m seawards from the high-water mark
Dyer Island
Only shore angling is allowed at Dyer Island, in an area extending two nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
East London
Only fishing from the shore is allowed in the following three areas near East London:
(i) between Nahoon Point and Gonubie Point, extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark,
(ii) between Christmas Rock and Gxulu River mouth extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark, and
(iii) between Nyara River mouth and Great Kei River mouth, extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.
Durban
Fishing for invertebrates is not allowed in the area between the line drawn 145° from the south breakwater of Durban Harbour and another line drawn 145° from the mouth of the Umgeni river, extending three nautical miles from the high-water mark.
