Rezoning of Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area

[Toko]

https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarel ... ected_area

Minister Edna Molewa publishes regulations on the rezoning of Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area
23 November 2015



The Minister of Environmental Affairs has published draft regulations for the re-zonation of the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area, for public comments.

The Draft regulations published on the 19th November 2015 are an intention to withdraw the existing Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (MPA) declared in stipulation 2(19) of Government Gazette 21948, Notice 1429 of December 2000, and to declare under section 22A of the National Environment Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act No.57 of 2003), the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA).

The public has 60 days to comment on the regulations from the date of publication (19th November 2015).

The decision follows a 20-year old journey initiated by Tsitsikamma anglers who requested fishing rights in the MPA citing cultural, historical and subsistence reasons.

The Department of Environmental Affairs, SANParks, the Koukamma Municipality & other stakeholders have held various meetings with the Tsitsikamma angling forum to discuss the zonation of possible controlled areas within the MPA.

Engagement is to reassess the basis of marine resource use in the Tsitsikamma MPA Section of Garden Route National Park. This is done in order to provide benefits for society and to ensurethat such benefits are protected for future generations. The trade-offs between the flow of benefits and the protection of the resources that provide benefits are complex and subject to continuous change as human needs evolve and as new knowledge accumulates. Government therefore has to be prepared to continuously reassess these trade-offs in consultation with its various partners.

More about the draft proposal

Q:Who are the role-players?

A: The Department is tasked to drive the process with the support of SANParks, research institutions and independent researchers to allow for transparency, Tsitsikamma Angling Forum and the Koukamma Municipality.

Q:Where are the proposed areas?

A:Only 4 areas will be opened up and the SANParksis working hard at an operational plan to better manage these areas. Times for fishing will be determined, the exact days and hours allocated for fishing.

The Tsitsikamma MPA Restricted Zone (TRZ) comprises the area along the coastline starting from coastal point (A) in the east to coastal point (B), from (B) 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark to point (C), from (C) west following the coastline 100m seawards of the high water mark to point (D) and then shorewards to coastal point (E). From coastal point (E) west along the high water mark to coastal point (F), 100 meters directly offshore to point (G), from (G ) west following the coastline 100m seawards of the high water mark to point (H) and then shorewards to the high water mark at coastal point (I). From coastal point (I) west along the high water mark to coastal point (J), 100 meters directly offshore to point (K), from (K) west following the coastline 100m seawards of the high water mark to point (L) and then shorewards to the high water mark at coastal point (M). From coastal point (M) west along the high water mark to coastal point (N), 100 meters directly offshore to point (O), from (O) west following the coastline 100m seawards of the high water mark to point (P) and then shorewards to the high water mark at coastal point (Q). From coastal point (Q) west along the high water mark to point coastal (R) at Die Punt. From coastal point (R) 3 nautical miles south to point (S). From S a straight line to point T (approximately east and approximately 3 nautical miles offshore). From T a straight line to point U (approximately eastwards and approximately 3 miles offshore) and from U north to coastal point (A ).

Q: Where exactly are the Tsitsikamma MPA Coastal Controlled Zones (TCCZ)?

A:(1) TCCZ 1, coastal point (B) at Natspoegbaai 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark to point (C), west along the coastline from coastal point B to coastal point (E) at Jaftas Kraal and 100 meters directly offshore to point (D). The offshore boundary of TCCZ 1 between points (C) and (D) follows the coastline lying 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark.

(2)TCCZ 2, coastal point (F) at Sandrif River 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark to point (G), west along the coastline from coastal point F to coastal point (I) between Steilkop and Skuinsbaai and 100 meters directly offshore to point (H). The offshore boundary of TCCZ 2 between points (G) and (H) follows the coastline lying 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark.

(3) TCCZ 3, coastal point (J) at Die Dam 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark to point (K), west along the coastline from coastal point J to coastal point (M) west of Skilderkrans and 100 meters directly offshore to point (L). The offshore boundary of TCCZ 3 between points (K) and (L) follows the coastline lying 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark.

(4)TCCZ 4, coastal point (N) just east of Elandsbos River 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark to point (O), west along the coastline from coastal point N to coastal point (Q) at Jan Swartz and 100 meters directly offshore to point (P). The offshore boundary of TCCZ 4 between points (O) and (P) follows the coastline lying 100 meters directly offshore from the high water mark.

Q:Will zonation of the MPA undermine conservation efforts?

A:There are stringent regulations restricting various activities (see page 9 of the proposed draft), controlled zones and activities are detailed in clause 8, page 10 of the Gazette. According to the proposed plan, only four (4) areas will be re-zoned for controlled access. A detailed monitoring plan which includes fixed underwater cameras and process will be implemented. Furthermore SANParkshas developed an operational plan which includes additional manpower for monitoring of access and regulations of permits. The Draft Regulations will also include number of days, times for fishing as well as species to catch.

There will be strict control of bag size and limits, the number of days for fishing, the times for fishing.

Registered Anglers may only fish from the shore, using a rod and reel or handline. No fishing may take place from a vessel in the Marine Protected Area (MPA).

Q: Which bag-limits will apply?

A:The following recreational bag limits shall apply when fishing in the TCCZ 1-4:

A reduced recreational cumulative bag limit of 3 fish in total per person per day shall apply to those fish species which have an individual recreational bag limit of less than 10;
A cumulative bag limit of 10 fish in total per person per day shall apply to fish species for which there is no individual recreational bag limit or they have an individual recreational bag limit of 10 or more;
Sharks and rays (Elasmobranchs), Red Steenbras (Petrus rupestris) and White Steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus) are a prohibited species, have a bag limit of zero (0) and may not be fished for in the Marine Protected Area; and
The reduced cumulative bag limits in sub-regulations (5)(a) and (b) are subject to the individual recreational bag limits and no individual fish species may be caught in excess of the individual recreational bag limits for that species.
Harvesting of bait is allowed for use at fishing sites subject to the registered Tsitsikamma angler being in possession of a valid recreational bait collecting permit issued in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act. The daily bag limit for bait organisms shall be half the recreational bag limit and odd numbers shall be rounded up. No person shall collect any bait organism from below the low-water mark, and bait collection shall only take place from the shore.

Q:Who may fish should the area be open for fishing?

A:A registered Tsitsikamma Angler who resides in a community located between Covie and The Bloukrans River within 8 kilometres or less directly north of the Tsitsikamma MPA, and any community within the Koukamma Local Municipality.

Q: How do you register as a Tsitsikamma Angler?

Any person who wishes to register must apply to the management authority for registration and submit proof of the following as part of the application:
That they live in a Tsitsikamma community
A copy of their SA ID
A copy of a valid recreation angling or bait permit issued i.t.o the Marine Living Resources Act.
Q:How and where can people obtain more information?

A: The Government Gazette No39424 (19 November 2015), also accessible via http://www.environment.gov.za. (https://www.environment.gov.za/legislat ... egulations)

The draft regulations are in line with the intended repeal of the existing Tsitsikamma National Park Marine Protected Area declared in stipulation 2(19) of the Government Gazette 21948, Notice No. 1429 of 29 December 2000, and to declare under section 22A of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act No. 57 of 2003).

For media queries, contact:

Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483

[Richprins]

NO NO NO!

This is another thin end of the wedge, as serval would have said.

SP have an obsession with zonation.

In this case, the locusts don't understand that this is not just a National Park, it is also a sacrosanct safe breeding area for those fish that they catch along the rest of the coast!


And given our porous and corrupt custodians' record of law enforcement, there is no reason to believe that adequate policing will take place. This is very difficult policing to do, with minimal fines in place, and a further burden on our judicial system.

Why after 20 years? Because local elections are coming up and....you can work out the rest, especially in that Province...

[Lisbeth]

They must be out of their minds The fish has already disappeared from all other places along the coast and now they start to allow fishing in the only place that was safe

I have never seen so little fish in a country with so much sea as in South Africa

[Toko]

http://www.heraldlive.co.za/outcry-plan ... mma-coast/

Outcry over plan to lift fishing ban along Tsitsikamma coast
By Yolande Stander on November 30, 2015
‹ Historic area back on rails I’m an honourable person – Roland ›

A GOVERNMENT plan to allow fishing within certain areas of South Africa’s oldest marine protected area along the Tsitsikamma coast has sparked a massive outcry from marine experts, who say it is “highly irregular” and could have a devastating effect on fish stocks.

The Department of Environmental Affairs recently published its draft regulations for the rezoning of the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (MPA) – managed by South African National Parks (SANParks) – after years of discussions with fishermen in the area.

The fishermen have been campaigning for the rezoning, complaining that the MPA was declared more than 50 years ago without public participation processes.

They say this stripped them of cultural, historical and recreational rights.

On Saturday, they marched from the Storms River Rest Camp in the Garden Route National Park to the SANParks area management office to hand over a memorandum demanding that the process be sped up to allow them to fish in the MPA by December 15.

In the draft regulations, the department has identified four areas for this purpose, including a stretch of coastline near Witelsbos, one in the Sandrift area and two between Storms River and Coldstream.

The public has until 4pm on February 1 to lodge objections.

[Toko]

More here: http://www.pressreader.com/south-africa ... 5/TextView

[Richprins]

Good!

[Toko]

http://conservationaction.co.za/media-a ... o-fishing/

Tsitsikama Marine Protected Area opened to fishing
BY MELISSA REITZ - 21 DECEMBER 2015

Attempt by marine scientists to reverse SANParks permission to fish in the sensitive MPA has been blocked by a High Court judge

An application to halt a pilot period for recreational fishing in the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (MPA) because it could cause irreparable damage has been struck off the roll by a Pretoria High Court judge. His reasoning was that it was not urgent and, in his words, ‘we lose things every day.

On December 15 the Department of Environmental Affairs unilaterally opened the MPA to fishers ahead of the closing date for public comment on the proposal. The Friends of Tsitsikamma, consisting of marine experts and scientists, then applied to the Pretoria High Court to block the move, calling it unconstitutional and unlawful.

The Department of Environmental Affairs published draft regulations in November that it intended to withdraw the protection afforded to the ‘no take’ zones of the MPA. The closing date for public comment was set 1 February 2016.

Under pressure from the Tsitsikamma community to allow registered members to fish in the national park, however, the Minister approved SANPark’s request – without public comment – for a 30 day pilot phase, beginning on 15 December. This will allow anglers to fish in four designated zones of the MPA to ‘test’ the implementation of the draft regulations.

According to Friends of Tsitsikamma, the agreement between SANParks and the community of the Koukamma area is illegal as legislation states that until the no take status has been lawfully suspended, SANParks is obliged to uphold the existing status quo.

The group claims that implementing the pilot phase before closure of public comment is irregular and in contravention of constitutional rights and ‘makes a mockery of the public consultation process’.

The Tsitsikamma National Park is the oldest marine protected area in Southern Africa and was promulgated as a no take zone under the Marine Living Resources Act in 2000. It is highly valued as an important marine ‘seeding’ ground for long-living fish stock.

The decision to allow fishing in the area could have far reaching negative effects on both South Africa’s fisheries industry and tourism. Experts say that the scientific evidence of the ecological effects the fishing will have on marine life has been ignored and it is likely that fish populations could be severely affected, even in the pilot phase.

‘Given that most of the species are resident and long-lived, many belonging to species that have been heavily depleted,’ said Bruce Mann, professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, UCT, ‘there’s a high probability that depletion will be rapid. This will counter the role of the park as a ground for accumulation of breeding stock and supply to adjacent areas.’

Plettenberg Bay residents and businesses are also concerned that threatening the sensitive ecological balance of the marine park will impact on the bay and ultimately the local economy.

“The survival of tourism and the economy of Plettenberg Bay is dependent on a healthy bay by seeding of fish stocks from the MPA,’ said Tony Lubner, CEO of the Orca Foundation in Plettenberg Bay. ‘Once threatened, the long term impact on our economy and subsequent job losses will follow, including the loss to recreational, commercial and subsistence fisherman living along the coastal areas adjacent to the MPA.’

Despite the High Court’s ruling, Friends of Tsitiskamma are undeterred, stating that they still view the pilot phase as unlawful and will look at alternative options to pursue the matter legally.

SANParks and the Minister say they are open to further discussions with the group but have stated that representatives of the community must also be present. The Minister’s decision to allow the pilot phase to commence in mid-December ahead of public participation, however, remains unclear.

The Koukamma community has threatened to close down the park if they do not get fishing rights.

[Richprins]

The Koukamma community has threatened to close down the park if they do not get fishing rights.

That's all you need to know, here.

[Flutterby]

[Lisbeth]

The Koukamma community has threatened to close down the park if they do not get fishing rights.

That's all you need to know, here.

How can they do that? The fishing has been blocked by a High Court judge, so it would be against the law and the police would be obliged to intervene

In which way could they physically close down the park? The people working in the park going on an unlawful strike?