MONDAY,
16 JANUARY 2006: On 4 June 2004 when four new Marine Protected
Areas (MPAs) namely Table Mountain National Park, Bird Island,
Pondoland and Aliwal Shoal were proclaimed by the Minister
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk,
the respective Government Gazette (No. 26433 of 2004) stated
a number of statutory requirements, including the permitting
of scuba diving within these MPAs.
It stated that (i) no person may scuba dive or attempt to
scuba dive in the Marine Protected Area except on the authority
of a scuba diving permit; (ii) no person may operate or attempt
to operate a scuba diving business in the Marine Protected
Area except on the authority of a scuba diving commercial
permit. Subsequently an exemption which allowed scuba divers
to continue diving in MPAs was issued.
This exemption expired at the end of 2005 and therefore divers
now need a valid permit to scuba dive in these marine protected
areas.
After finalisation of the permit structure, permits will
be available at Post Offices nationwide at a cost still
to be determined. In the interim scuba divers can apply
to the Department for an exemption.
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