South Africa Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Dashboard

The Nairobi Convention Secretariat has built interactive dashboards for a range of different Western Indian Ocean (WIO) data. The visualizations below showcase the MPAs in South Africa and was generated from our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Outlook that was produced in collaboration with the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).

Find out more about South Africa's biodiversity, ocean economy, ocean governance, data and resources

from the South Africa country profile page.

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Disclaimer

1) Since the finalization of the MPA Outlook, several countries have added additional protected areas or updated their information. These updates will be reflected in the dashboard as received.

2) * Many MPAs in South Africa were proclaimed under the Sea Fisheries Act (SFA) (1973 and 1988) and its various amendments. All MPAs declared under the SF Act were re-proclaimed en masse in 2000 under the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA). Since 2014, the primary legal instrument for establishment and protection of MPAs has been the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act of 2004. On 2 June, 2014, all MPAs previously declared under MLRA were transferred under presidential pronouncement to NEM:PAA

3) Zones

a. Restricted Zone/Area -  no-take areas in which no extractive use of any part of the environment is allowed (including fishing, bait collecting, invertebrate harvesting, sand or shell removal). 
b. Controlled Zone/Area -  specific sections within an MPA in which fishing, other extractive resource use and other activities may take place subject to the permit conditions issued by DEFF.
c. Sanctuary Area -  all access other than that of the management authority, and all resource use, is generally prohibited.

4) The designations employed and the presentations of material do not imply the expressions of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP, Nairobi Convention, or contributory organisations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries or the designation of its name, frontiers or boundaries.