ISSUED ON 15 OCTOBER
2008 - South Africa will sell approximately
51 metric tons of stockpiled ivory in a
once off sale to CITES accredited buyers
China and Japan in a CITES approved sale.
The stockpile consists
of ivory that was verified by the CITES
Secretariat as being of legal origin with
data to back the origins.
The ivory emanates from
South African National Parks (SANParks),
Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency, North
West Parks and Tourism Board and KZN Wildlife.
Collectively the provincial agencies account
for approximately 6 metric tons of the full
stockpiled ivory.
The ivory consists of
ivory obtained from culling (for the period
1988 to 1994), mortalities and breakages.
Approximately 45% of
the ivory was obtained before 1994 when
culling was still practiced in the Kruger
National Park and thus the rest of the ivory
from 1995 to end 2006 was from mortalities
and breakages. Ivory that was registered
from 2007 onwards was not eligible for sale
according to the agreement reached at the
14th Conference of Parties to CITES held
in the Netherlands during July 2007.
“The tusks from elephants
that have been part of the so called “big
tuskers” in Kruger National Park will not
be sold as it is seen as part of the heritage
of South Africa that will be conserved for
the future. Most of these tusks will be
displayed in the Elephant Museum in Letaba
Camp in Kruger National Park where visitors
can see the tusks and get information on
the carriers of these tusks,” said Dr David
Mabunda, Chief Executive of South African
National Parks (SANParks).
Roopa Singh (DEAT)
South Africa to launch
its National Programme of Action (NPA) for
Marine Environment Protection from Land-based
Activities
Issued by the Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism - Immediate:
13 October 2008 - The Deputy Minister of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Ms Rejoice
Mabudafhasi, will on Wednesday 15 October
2008 launch South Africa’s National Programme
of Action (NPA) for the protection of the
marine environment from land-based activities
at the Point Yacht Club, Durban at 10:00.
The NPA forms part of
the Global Programme of Action (GPA) launched
in 1995 by UNEP which recommends that countries
develop national plans to address coastal
and marine degradation from key land-based
activities. South Africa is one of 108 countries
that adopted the GPA and also adopted the
Beijing Declaration on furthering implementation
of the GPA, at the conclusion of the GPA’s
Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting.
The development of national
plans to protect marine environments is
crucial as some 80% of all marine pollution
and degradation originate from land-based
sources. A recent review of emerging trends
issues indicate major sources in Southern
Africa include untreated sewage, coastal
mining, inappropriate agricultural practices,
industrial wastewater discharges and contaminated
storm water.
The NPA was developed
through a series of consultative workshops
in the coastal provinces and with the guidance
of a National Advisory Forum (NAF) represented
by key departments and stakeholders. It
provides an assessment of the status of
South Africa’s coastal and marine environment,
in relation to key pressures such as sewage
disposal and coastal development, and identifies
a range of actions to improve current management
efforts.
Please RSVP with Moses Rannditsheni
Carol Moses
Issued by the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism on 13 September 2008
http://www.environment.gov.za/HotIssues/2008/NMW/nmw.html
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NEW MARINE PROTECTED
AREA WILL BRING MUCH-NEEDED PROTECTION
MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE OFFICE OF MARTHINUS
VAN SCHALKWYK, MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS AND TOURISM, CAPE TOWN, 13 OCTOBER
- The twentieth Marine Protected Area along
the South African coastline will be promulgated
this week, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister
of Environmental Affair and Tourism, announced
today.
“The new Stilbaai Marine
Protected Area (MPA) is an important addition
to South Africa’s network of MPAs. It will
provide protection to a variety of marine
and estuarine habitats, which in turn will
assist in the recovery of populations of
depleted fish and other endemic species.
The declaration of a restricted zone will
also allow specific protected sandy terrestrial
and marine areas to join, thereby shielding
the natural coastline more fully, which
is important in the light of climate change
and its resulting phenomena,” Van Schalkwyk
said.
The Minister’s announcement
coincides with National Marine Week, which
is this year celebrated from 13 to 17 October.
The theme for the celebrations is “Changing
Climate, Changing Oceans and Coasts, Changing
Lives - all hands on deck!” It seeks to
raise awareness of climate change and the
impact it has on our marine and coastal
resources.
According to Van Schalkwyk,
the new Stilbaai MPA encompasses a variety
of marine habitats. It includes a large
sandy bay to the east, smaller rocky bays
to the west and the mouth of the Goukou
river in the centre of the area.
“It is significant that
the entire Goukou estuary lies within the
MPA, as this will help provide urgent protection
for the estuary. As the MPA will encompass
both estuarine and marine habitats, it will
provide enhanced shelter for formerly abundant
but now overexploited species like kob,
which use both environments,” Van Schalkwyk
said.
The coastline also contains
well-preserved stone fish traps (visvywers),
which is considered to be living evidence
of how the original coastal inhabitants
historically fished the area. The town of
Stilbaai and its people still depend on
having access to the sea and estuary and
there is a proclaimed harbour utilised by
both commercial and recreational fishers
and recreational boaters.
Van Schalkwyk said the
Stilbaai MPA will offer complete protection
from fishing and bait collection to approximately
75% of the Goukou estuary and 20 square
kilometres of ocean in two restricted zones.
These are the Skulpiesbaai restricted zone
in the west and the larger Geelkrans restricted
zone in the east. “These areas will assist
in the recovery of populations of depleted
fish species and their sustainable utilisation
outside the restricted area. Rare and endemic
species and their habitat will also be protected
in the sea and estuary. The zonation will
furthermore enable the protected sandy terrestrial
and marine areas to join,” Van Schalkwyk
said.
The remainder of the
MPA compromises a controlled zone in which
fishing will be allowed. In the estuarine
part of the controlled zone, which stretches
from the mouth to just upstream of the Olive
Grove Dam (approximately 2 km north of the
road bridge), recreational fishing as well
as bait collecting (on the eastern bank
only) will be allowed. In the marine area
(of approximately 12 square kilometres)
opposite the mouth recreational fishing
and some forms of commercial fishing (like
traditional line-fishing but not trawling)
are allowed.
The promulgation follows
consultations with the community and other
stakeholders over a period of more than
two years. The comments and concerns raised
during this process has been taken into
account, resulting in strict zoning of the
area.
For more information on National Marine
Week visit www.deat.gov.za
ENQUIRIES: CAROL MOSES
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SPEECH DELIVERED BY
THE HONOURABLE DEPUTY MINISTER, MS REJOICE
MABUDAFHASI, DURING THE LAUNCH OF SOUTH
AFRICA’S NATIONAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR
PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT FROM
LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES ON 15 OCTOBER 2008
15 October 2008 - SPEECH
DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE DEPUTY MINISTER,
MS REJOICE MABUDAFHASI, DURING THE LAUNCH
OF SOUTH AFRICA’S NATIONAL PROGRAMME OF
ACTION FOR PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES ON 15 OCTOBER
2008.
Programme Director
KZN MEC for Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs Honorable Mr Mtholephi Mthimkhulu
Executive Mayor of Durban Councillor Obed
Mlaba
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on
Environmental Affairs and Tourism Mr Langa
Zita
Co-ordinator of the Global Programme of
Action for Protection of the Marine Environment
from Land-based Activities Dr. Anjan Datta
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
1. Introduction and
Background
South Africa boasts
a coastal area which is rich and diverse
in natural resources which are arguably
the envy of many countries. This area, which
stretches thousands of kilometres from the
Indian Ocean in the east to Atlantic Ocean
in the west, provides a hive of economic
activities and a source of opportunity for
many South Africans. This includes fisheries
which attract a range of fishers from recreational,
subsistence, technical and advanced industrial
fleets.
It is the bedrock of
coastal communities and is of immense strategic
importance to many economic sectors. Research
reveals that the value of the direct benefits
derived from coastal resources in South
Africa could be as high as R168 billion
annually and translates to approximately
35% of the GDP.
The combination of coastal
attractions and unique wildlife presents
a powerful resource for the long term if
utilized sustainably. Almost all coastlines
hold some sort of attraction. With appropriate
management, the value of these assets underpinning
such attractions can increase.
Travel and tourism are
already major foreign exchange earners in
Southern Africa and much of the income is
generated in coastal areas, providing substantial
employment opportunities to our citizens.
I can say with confidence that our coast
contributes directly to South Africa’s achievement
of the United Nations Millennium Development
Goals adopted in 2000, especially those
goals pertaining to poverty eradication,
access to sanitation and health.
2. Threats to Coastal
Ecosystem
However, socio-economic
benefits we derive from the coastal resources
cannot be sustained if the negative impacts
of pollution and climate change on coastal
ecosystems continue unabated. It is estimated
that pollution from land based sources accounts
for approximately 80% of marine pollution
in our country and that there are over 80
marine outfall pipes along the South African
Coast.
If corrective measures
are not implemented continuously, these
threats could affect vital economic and
ecological values which will be detrimental
to poor coastal communities, especially
women and children.
The main challenges
facing the sustainable use of coastal and
marine resources are the loss of natural
habitat and biodiversity due to land-based
economic activities affecting the coastal
and marine ecosystems and the consequent
loss of any opportunity of exploiting renewable
living resources.
The challenge posed
by climate change is that of the anticipated
long-term effects such as sea-level rise,
the interruption of coastal processes such
as sediment supply, beach dynamics and degradation
of water quality due to human activities
in catchment and estuaries.
Experts are warning
us that our precious estuaries may become
even more polluted than they already are,
as less freshwater flows to our coast from
rivers and groundwater sources. We need
to acknowledge these dangers now and take
action so that our coast may be able to
cope with the challenges anticipated.
The long-term implications
of a changing climate for land, coast and
sea are becoming a reality. In the case
of our coast, experts have warned of grave
consequences in future, if we do not act
now. Our coast is predominantly sandy and
exposed, and therefore we are quite vulnerable
to beach erosion caused by storms and sea-level
rise.
Many of us will recall
the events of March last year when a series
of unusual storms destroyed several beaches
and coastal infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal.
Recently we have also noticed some coastal
erosion in the Eastern Cape and the Garden
Route area. These events are perhaps a warning
for us to recognise our vulnerability to
a changing climate.
The coastal environment
is vulnerable and can be degraded by unsustainable
development practices. Critical ecological
functions which protect and stabilize coastlines,
providing sediments for beaches and nursery
for fish and prawns can be severely undermined
if we do not take action.
3. Government Interventions
As government, we are
doing our best to assist communities to
cope with extreme weather events such as
floods, storms and droughts. The South African
Weather Service provides vital information
to forewarn vulnerable communities and the
nation at large on impending disasters.
This information, which helps communities
to prepare for emergencies, is also communicated
through local radio stations throughout
the country.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I strongly believe in the notion that the
condition of our coast and oceans is dependent
on land activities. Late last year, we have
seen how several spillages of sewage have
caused massive dying of fish in Durban harbour.
We have also witnessed, with much concern,
how several world-renowned beaches in this
wonderful city have lost their Blue Flag
status because of poor water quality.
In April 2000, government
published a National Policy for Sustainable
Coastal Development and a broad Plan of
Action to achieve a balance between material
prosperity and the integrity of our coast.
At the same time, we as South Africa joined
over 100 countries to implement the “Global
Programme of Action” for Protection of the
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities,
or the GPA. The GPA is widely credited for
being a fundamental action framework for
coastal and marine protection.
South Africa has come
a long way since we adopted the GPA and
our national coastal policy. Coastal management
has become a recognised concept and institution
across government. On a daily basis, government
is striving to ensure that our coastline
continues to serve a multitude of users
who depend on clean water, space and living
resources to sustain their lives.
Coastal management in
South Africa will soon reach a new milestone
when as a country we promulgate the much-anticipated
Integrated Coastal Management Bill. It aims
to provide the legal basis for integrated
management and preservation of coastal resources.
It has far-reaching implications and seeks
to ensure that all resources are managed
in a sustainable manner.
Programme Director,
two years ago I had the honour of attending
the Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting
of the GPA in Beijing, where the world discussed
how to improve protection of the marine
environment, from our actions on land. At
that meeting, governments including South
Africa, pledged commitment to accelerate
national action against marine pollution
and degradation. We also committed ourselves
to implement the Global Programme of Action
as a tool for achieving sustainable coastal
development at a national level.
Today I am truly proud
to say that we are indeed upholding those
commitments. In 2007, our Department initiated
a process to develop a National Programme
of Action on land-based activities, in order
to respond more comprehensively to the call
for action from the GPA.
Our department has identified
the need for a common platform where cooperation
and co-ordination around land-based activities
can be improved. Without such a platform,
it is extremely difficult to monitor and
evaluate how we are progressing to protect
our coast.
A common platform is
crucial because our sea is closely connected
to - and affected by - what happens in our
catchments and mountains. The benefits of
linking management of our seas with management
of our land-based resources have been demonstrated
very well by the “Hilltops to Oceans” and
the “White Water 2 Blue Water” Partnerships
established at the World Summit on Sustainable
Development.
In April 2007, we established
a National Advisory Forum to take forward
our vision of establishing a common platform
for controlling land-based threats. Several
consultative workshops were held and identified
identify up to 14 major threats to coastal
ecosystems including infrastructure development,
municipal and industrial wastewater, coastal
mining, marine litter, contaminated stormwater
run-off and climate change.
Programme Director,
I believe we now stand in a better position
not only to address our land-based threats
in a systematic manner, but also to uphold
our international obligations. In this regard,
I must mention that the platform we have
developed will assist us to implement our
commitments under the Nairobi and Abidjan
Conventions on the protection, management
and development of Africa’s marine and coastal
environment.
I would like to take
this opportunity to thank the West Indian
Ocean Land-based Activities Project, for
contributing to our understanding of the
threats facing our coastal and marine environment.
The WIO-Lab Project plays a very important
role by assisting East African countries
to reduce ecosystem stress as a result of
land-based activities.
South Africa’s efforts
to establish a national platform for tackling
land-based-activities has benefited directly
from the findings of several technical studies
commissioned under the WIO-Lab Project,
especially on marine pollution. We look
forward to further engagements with our
partners in UNEP to further implement the
WIO-Lab Project, and we hope it will continue
to be successful in meeting its objectives.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion,
I would like to appeal for greater cooperation
and collaboration by all spheres of government,
coastal communities and private sector.
Thank you
Media Enquiries may be directed to the Deputy
Minister's spokesperson:
Mr Moses Rannditsheni
You may also visit our website to view the
Protection of the
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities
brochure at:
http://www.environment.gov.za/Documents/Documents/2008Oct15/Brochure%20text%20for%20NPA%20launch.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.za/ http://www.deat.gov.za
http://www.environment.gov.za/HotIssues/2008/NMW/nmw.html
