Prepared for:
Department of Tourism, Environment &
Conservation
Private Bag X6102
Kimberley
8300
Project Manager: Abe Abrahams
Prepared by:
Vasna Ramasar
CSIR Environmentek
P O Box 17001
Congella
4013
This report forms part of a series of specialist reports produced for the 2004
Northern Cape State of the Environment Report.
Cover Picture courtesy of the Northern Cape Tourism Authority.

Table of Contents
1 Background .......................................................................................................................... 2
2 Introduction to Marine and Coast ........................................................................................ 3
3 Marine and Coastal Issues in the Northern Cape ................................................................. 3
3.1
Access to marine and coastal resources .................................................................................... 3
3.2
Resource use .......................................................................................................................... 4
3.3
Resource value ....................................................................................................................... 6
3.4
Resource management ............................................................................................................ 6
4 Marine and Coast in the Northern Cape ............................................................................... 7
4.1
Accessibility of marine and coastal resources for sustainable use ............................................... 7
4.2
Allocations and catches per fishery sector ................................................................................. 9
4.3
Distribution and abundance of resource species ...................................................................... 13
4.4
Value of marine and coastal resources ................................................................................... 14
4.5
Management of marine and coastal resources ........................................................................ 16
5 Responses .......................................................................................................................... 18
5.1
International responses ......................................................................................................... 18
5.1.1
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) . 18
5.1.2
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals ................................. 18
5.1.3
Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their
Disposal ........................................................................................................................... 19
5.1.4
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea .............................................................. 19
5.1.5
Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of
Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks ...................................................... 19
5.1.6
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling ...................................................... 19
5.1.7
International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas .......................................... 19
5.1.8
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in the South East
Atlantic Ocean .................................................................................................................. 20
5.1.9
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries ......................................................................... 20
5.1.10
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter .. 20
5.1.11
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as modified by the
Protocol of 1978 relating thereto ....................................................................................... 20
5.1.12
Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme ...................................................... 20
5.2
National responses ................................................................................................................ 21
5.2.1
White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development in South Africa ....................................... 21
5.2.2
White Paper: A Marine Fisheries Policy for South Africa ...................................................... 21
5.2.3
CoastCare Programme ...................................................................................................... 21
5.2.4
Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods Programme ....................................................................... 22
5.2.5
Fishery Permit Allocations ................................................................................................. 22
5.2.6
DEAT Poverty Alleviation Fund .......................................................................................... 22
5.2.7
Namaqualand Marine Protected Area ................................................................................. 22
5.2.8
ORV Regulations .............................................................................................................. 23
5.2.9
Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998 ............................................................................. 23
5.2.10
Minerals & Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 ............................................ 23
5.3
Provincial responses .............................................................................................................. 23
5.3.1
Northern Cape Provincial Coastal Management Programme ................................................. 23
5.3.2
Northern Cape Provincial Coastal Committee ...................................................................... 24
5.3.3
Fishing and Mariculture Sector Development Strategy......................................................... 24
5.3.4
Gariep Spatial Development Initiative ................................................................................ 25
6 Summary of Marine and Coast ........................................................................................... 25
7 References ......................................................................................................................... 26
8 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 29

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
1 BACKGROUND

The Northern Cape Department of Tourism, Environment and Conservation (DTEC) (formerly the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, Environment and Conservation (DALEC)) appointed CSIR to compile the 2004 Northern Cape State of the Environment (SoE) Report.
The project process was divided into three phases, namely:


Phase 1: Issues identification;
Phase 2: Selection of Key Environmental Indicators; and
Phase 3: Compilation of the 2004 SoE Report.
During this process, both specialists and stakeholders were given the opportunity to contribute to the project. Phase 1 entailed the selection of key environmental issues, described as
. A literature review of relevant and available information sources on the
Northern Cape environment was used to create a preliminary list of key environmental issues, which was reviewed at a stakeholder workshop convened in Kimberley on 9
December 2003. The broad key environmental issues were prioritised and related issues were highlighted, forming the final list of key environmental issues that was sent out for stakeholder comment.
The broad key environmental issues identified in Phase 1 were then used as the basis for the development of a set of key environmental indicators in Phase 2. Specialist input was used to develop a proposed set of indicators. These environmental indicators, like the environmental issues, were grouped into broader categories, called ‘themes’. Although not every environmental issue listed has an indicator associated with it, the indicators selected for a theme
.
The draft set of key environmental indicators from Phase 2 was presented at a stakeholder workshop in Kimberley on 19 January 2004. During the workshop, stakeholders were given the task of reviewing and finalising the indicators for either one or two themes. A handout of questions regarding the relevance and practicality of each indicator was used to guide the group discussions. Comments and suggestions as well as details of additional data sources were captured in answer sheets by a member of each group, and shared in the feedback session that followed. The finalised set of key environmental indicators was sent out for stakeholder comment.
Phase 3 of the project involved the compilation of the SoER, where each of the themes was investigated through a separate specialist study. Specialists were involved in compiling the draft studies, which were then subjected to a review. During this phase the specialists made use of the environmental indicators in their theme to
. These individual specialist reports will be used to compile the popular and web versions of the 2004 Northern
Cape SoER. This document provides the results of one of these specialist studies. It represents only one of a series of seven specialist reports produced for this project.
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
2 INTRODUCTION TO MARINE AND COAST
The coastal region in the Northern Cape Province extends over 3 municipalities within the
Namakwa District Municipality, namely Kamiesberg; Nama Khoi; and Richtersveld, and stretches over 313 kilometres of coastline (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a). The two regional fishing nodes in the Northern Cape are at the towns of Port Nolloth and Hondeklipbaai.
The coastal area is a hot, dry region with rainfall averaging less than 100mm per annum
(CoastCare, 2004). The scarcity of fresh water is an obstacle to development. In addition, the soil along the coast is generally of a very poor quality and limits the potential for agriculture in the area.
The Northern Cape has an abundance of diamond deposits both onshore and in marine deposits. This has led to the development of a large diamond mining sector, which has become the dominant activity of the Northern Cape’s coastal zone. Diamond deposits are so extensive along the coast that mining companies hold the mineral rights and diamond concession areas covering most of the coast.
The overall picture of the marine and coastal environment is one of a dry, sparsely populated area dominated by diamond mining activities. This picture does not reveal the potential of the area for significant fishing and mariculture development and eco-tourism opportunities. The Northern Cape coast is affected by the cold nutrient-rich Benguela
Current system and thus has rich marine and coastal resources. As a result alternative activities supported along the coast albeit to a limited degree include fishing, mariculture and tourism.
This report serves to highlight the state of various economic sectors, describe how the value of marine and coastal resources are utilised to maximise local benefit and finally, to address the management of marine and coastal resources in the Province. The discussion will be presented in three logical sections. The first section highlights some of the issues of concern regarding the Northern Cape marine and coastal environment. These issues have been identified through stakeholder interactions as well as literature reviews. This will be followed in the second section by the population of five key indicators that are being used to describe the pressures, state, impact and responses to marine and coastal resources. The third section of the report summarises some of the responses that are in place to address issues in marine and coastal management at the international, national, and provincial levels. The report concludes with a summary of the state of the marine and coastal resources in the Northern Cape Province.
3 MARINE AND COASTAL ISSUES IN THE NORTHERN CAPE
3.1
Access to marine and coastal resources
Diamond mining is the main economic activity along the Northern Cape coastline, so much so that the Northern Cape coast as has been described “an extensive mining area, with different areas in various stages of the mining process, awaiting prospecting, undergoing prospecting, being mined or having been mined” (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a). Terrestrial onshore mining concessions, including beach concessions, occur between the Orange River mouth and an area slightly south of the Olifants River. Two major companies, Alexkor and
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
De Beers Namaqualand (Pty) Ltd dominate diamond mining in the Northern Cape coastal zone (Clark et al, 1999).
All mining concession areas have some level of restriction in terms of public access to the area (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a). This access is often limited to employees of the mining companies and sub-contractors. In some cases, recreational access is permitted on an informal basis (Brand, 2002). As a result, the majority of the Northern Cape population do not enjoy public access to the marine and coastal resources of the Province. Marine and coastal resources can therefore not be utilised to their maximum sustainable capacity for the socio-economic benefit of the people of the Northern Cape.
There are a number of indirect impacts resulting from the lack of public coastal property through the monopolisation of coastal land by mining activities. The most obvious and concerning impact is that restricted access limits people’s use of marine and coastal resources. This restriction of access does not occur to such an extent in the other coastal provinces of South Africa. Due to the limited use of coastal areas, the physical infrastructure of the area is also poorly developed (Tapscott, 1999) and those that do exist are mostly related to mining use (Spatial Development Initiatives, 2003).
From an economic perspective, lack of access to marine and coastal resources has limited the development of other economic activities such as fishing, mariculture and tourism along the coast (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a). This has implications for community development projects and the long term sustainability of the economy of the area. The activity of mining has a limited life-span in any area as it is based on the extraction of a non-renewable resource (Hounsome and Ashton, 2001). The long-term mining concessions have an impact on the growth of alternative economic activities in the area (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a) and it is important to consider viable alternative economic opportunities for the long term (FAMDA,
2003).
Recognising these impacts, mining companies together with local municipalities have initiated projects to create local economic development at the small and medium scale (Eco-
Africa, 2002; Spatial Development Initiatives, 2003). However there still exists a significant obstacle to public access to marine and coastal resources which is contradictory to the spirit of the White Paper on Sustainable Coastal Development (Republic of South Africa, 1999).
3.2
Resource use
Fisheries along the Northern Cape coast benefit from the presence of the Benguela Current
Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) along the coast (Figure 1). The BCLME is one of the four major coastal upwelling ecosystems of the world. The Benguela is an important centre of marine biodiversity and marine food production. It is estimated that the BCLME is one of the most productive ocean areas in the world, with a mean annual primary productivity of
1.25 grams of carbon per square metre per year.
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
Figure 1: External and internal boundaries of the Benguela Current Large Marine
Ecosystem, bathymetric features and surface currents (O’ Toole et al, 2001)
This high level of productivity supports a rich biological diversity along the Northern Cape coast. It includes an abundance of resource species that are available for human consumption.
In theory, this abundance of marine and coastal resources could stimulate a successful fishing and mariculture industry in the Northern Cape. However, only a small fraction of the large number of fish caught off the Northern Cape coast is landed in the Province (Northern
Cape, 2004). Three reasons have been put forward to explain this situation. Firstly, there is relative under-development of coastal infrastructure for example, Port Nolloth’s harbour is shallow and less developed than facilities in the Western Cape Province. Secondly, insufficient volume of fish quotas have been allocated to the Northern Cape fisheries in the past to make large-scale investments commercially viable and thirdly, the distance from
5

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7 markets has limited the development of the Northern Cape fishing sector beyond a relatively low level (Spatial Development Initiatives, 2003). Lack of access to the coast also has a limiting effect on harvesting of mussel, limpet and seaweed resources.
The Northern Cape Provincial Government through the Department of Economic Affairs and
Tourism, the Fishing and Mariculture Development Association (FAMDA) and the Gariep
Spatial Development Initiative, are working on a project to rejuvenate the fishing and mariculture sector in the Northern Cape (FAMDA, 2003). The re-development model includes the re-establishment of the John Ovenstone fish processing factory at Port Nolloth and the development of a cluster of small-scale commercial mariculture activities. In the long-term, a Namaqualand Mariculture Industrial Park is proposed for Port Nolloth (Spatial
Development Initiatives, 2003).
In addition to the commercial use of marine and coastal resources, recreational use is also limited as a result of controlled access to large parts of the coast.
3.3
Resource value
The greatest value from marine and coastal resources is generated through the mining and fishing sectors. These two sectors have generated the highest economic benefit to the region in the past. In the recent past however, both these sectors have become sources of concern (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a). The downscaling and potential closure of mines means that this sector will not remain the main economic generator for the region in the long-term.
In addition, the costs of mining such as environmental degradation and limited physical access to the coastline are increasingly being considered very high costs for resource use and ultimately have lead to a decrease in resource value in the long-term. The decline of the Northern Cape fishing sector has also limited the value of this sector for economic development of the Province.
Alternative economic activities such as tourism and agriculture have been limited and restricted to none mining areas (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a).
3.4
Resource management
In terms of resource management, two sub-issues were identified by stakeholders (Will and
Muller, 2003), namely institutional capacity for marine and coastal management at the provincial and local levels and contingency and conservation planning for marine and coastal areas.
The introduction of the coastal management function is new to the Northern Cape and there is a plan to establish a coastal management unit which will work exclusively within the municipal areas of the Richtersveld, Kamiesberg and Nama Khoi (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a).
Coastal management is currently the responsibility of DTEC under the Directorate
Environmental Management. While the institutional structure for coastal management in the
Northern Cape Provincial Government will be undergoing a restructuring in line with the recently developed the Northern Cape Provincial Coastal Management Programme (Enviro-
Fish Africa, 2003b), coastal management remains one of the functions managed by the
Directorate Environmental Management.
At a local level, the municipalities have to some extent addressed coastal management through Integrated Development Plans. However, these plans have focused on increasing
6

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7 the value of marine and coastal resources to economic development in their respective municipalities (Eco-Africa Environmental Consultants, 2002).
Contingency planning is being dealt with in the Environmental Management report of this series of specialist reports for the Northern Cape State of the Environment Report. The main concern raised by stakeholders was the lack of contingency plans at a provincial level to deal with environmental disasters such as oil spills.
The lack of conservation planning is also an important issue in the Northern Cape. At present, there are no finalised plans for the conservation of portions of the Northern Cape coast. At a national level, the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has proposed to declare the Namaqualand Marine Protected Area which will lead to the conservation of the biological diversity of the Northern Cape coastal zone (Government Gazette No. 26050,
2004). South African National Parks (SANParks) has established a presence in the area and are currently working towards establishing a contractual national park, including the coastline and adjacent terrestrial ecosystems, between the Groen and Spoeg rivers. The aforementioned park will be linked to the existing Namaqua National Park through the
Namaqua Wilderness Corridor, creating a formally protected area of approximately 150 000 hectares (de Kock
, 2005). Other conservation initiatives such as the
Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Area, the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Plan and the
Orange River Ramsar site all involve an aspect of conservation of coastal and marine resources (Enviro-Fish Africa 2003a). Details of biodiversity conservation are addressed in the Biodiversity report of this series of specialist reports for the Northern Cape State of the
Environment Report.
4 MARINE AND COAST IN THE NORTHERN CAPE
4.1
Accessibility of marine and coastal resources for sustainable use
The indicator on accessibility of marine and coastal resources looks at access of the population to use resources along the Northern Cape coast. The indicator focuses on who has rights to access and use the Northern Cape marine and coastal resources. The indicator is measured through a consideration of land ownership along the coast as ownership has direct implications for who is allowed access to marine and coastal resources. There is a high confidence in the information presented in this indicator.
Accessibility of marine and coastal resources for sustainable use was one of the main issues raised by stakeholders in the Northern Cape State of the Environment Issues Workshop (Will and Muller, 2003). This issue is in some ways unique to the Northern Cape coastline because of the large-scale diamond mining activities which occur along this coast. Due to the nature of diamond mining, those areas under diamond concessions have restricted and limited access and as a result, these coastal areas become inaccessible to the public.
This indicator is related to two goals set out in the White Paper for Sustainable Coastal
Development in South Africa to (1) ensure that the public has the right of physical access to the seas, and to along the sea shore, on a managed basis and to (2) ensure that the public has the right of equitable access to the opportunities and benefits of the coast, on a managed basis (Republic of South Africa, 1999).
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
Table 1 shows that coastal farms are predominantly under the ownership of the two largest diamond mining companies in the Northern Cape, namely, De Beers Consolidated (Pty) Ltd and Alexkor Ltd. Interspersed between these diamond mining areas is state-owned land.
Alexkor operates from the Orange River mouth to just south of Port Nolloth, while De Beers operates from Alexkor’s border to slightly north of the Olifants River (Figure 2). In addition to the onshore concessions, the diamond companies also hold concession for offshore diamond mining. This has implications for fishing that can occur in these waters.
Table 1: Ownership and position of coastal farms in the Northern Cape listed as they occur from north to south (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003a)
Farm Name Owner
Alexkor Ltd.
Farm No.
1
155
Port Nolloth Town
Oubeep
Tweepad
Dreyers Pan
Klein Zee
De Beers Consolidated (Pty)
Ltd
173
176
192
193
Klyne Zee
Sand Kop
Goraap
194
322
323
Brazil State Land
Samsons Bak 330
Elands Klip
Zwart Duinen
Schulp Fontein
Noup
Somnaas
De Beers Consolidated (Pty)
Ltd
333
332
472
473
474
Koingnaas
Zwart Lintjies River
475
484
Hondeklipbaai State Land
Langklip 489
Michells Bay
Kliphuis
Gemsbok Vlakte
Strandfontein
Driekop
De Beers Consolidated (Pty)
Ltd
495
496
498
499
500
Kwass
Kwass
501
548
Klipkuil 547
Eiland Punt Noord State Land
Eiland Punt Suid
Strandfontein
Tities Baai
De Beers Consolidated (Pty)
Ltd
550
559
560
The data presented clearly shows that most of the Northern Cape coastal zone is under restricted access. As both Alexkor and De Beers are not Northern Cape companies but operate at a national and international level respectively, the economic benefits to the
Province are limited to taxes, employment and secondary economic opportunities that develop around the mining operations.
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
Figure 2: Map of onshore diamond mining areas in the Northern Cape (Clark
1999).
,
4.2
Allocations and catches per fishery sector
This indicator measures the fishing rights allocated to Northern Cape fisheries and the subsequent catches per fishery sector. This indicator is of particular importance as the
9

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7 ocean off the Northern Cape coast is considered one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world with the waters being unpolluted, nutrient-rich and abundant in marine life (Northern
Cape, 2004). The fisheries sector thus has the potential to be a major contributor to the economy of the Northern Cape. However, the bulk of fish caught off the Northern Cape coast have been landed and processed at harbours in the Western Cape Province (Tapscott,
1999).
This indicator thus measures the state of the Northern Cape fishery sector and can be used to track whether the full potential of this economic sector is being achieved. The confidence in the data provided for this indicator is medium, as although it was collected from legitimate sources it is unclear whether all data were captured accurately in these reports.
Current data confirms that there are exploitable fish stocks off the Northern Cape’s coast and deep-sea hake trawling and hake long-line as well as small-scale vessel line fishing and lobster fishing currently takes place (FAMDA, 2003). The researchers were unable to get access to data of fisheries and permits for the Northern Cape timeously. It must be noted that a fisheries information system, including commercial catch data, is being developed by
Enviro-Fish Africa in conjunction with the Northern Cape Department of Economic Affairs and Tourism. The data from this system was however not available at the time of this SoE
Report being published.
The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is the absolute amount, in terms of whole mass (unless otherwise stated) of the resource that may be harvested from the marine environment in a given period. The TAC-controlled fisheries include the deep-sea hake, inshore hake, longline hake, west coast rock lobster and pelagic and abalone fisheries (DEAT, 2004). The TAC for each resource is set by the minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and allocation of quota rights is decided by DEAT based on the TAC. Despite the Northern Cape’s rich 313 km coastline, most of the infrastructure of the fishing industry is located in the Western
Cape. Recently, the allocation of an increased proportion of the hake TAC to new entrants from Port Nolloth has offered hope for increased socio-economic benefit from fishing Britz
, 2002).
Table 2: TAC-controlled fisheries in the Northern Cape: Number of rights and tonnage allocated in 2004 (Williams, 2004).
Fishery Sub-sector
West Coast rock lobster Full commercial
No. of allocated
6 rights Mass
(tons)
3.4 allocated
Limited commercial 46 26.6
Hake Longline
Hake Trawl
Pelagic
Seaweed
Linefish
Linefish
Small nets
Mariculture
Deep-sea demersal
Large (Tuna,
Swordfish)*
Small (Anchovy,
Pilchard, Sardine)
Limtied commercial
Exemptions
4
2
-
1
6
2
17
2
2
*Essentially a new fishery and allocations still to be made
365.941
1086.016
-
2155.6
6 concession areas
6 crew
5 nets
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
In many cases there is insufficient data on the actual catches against allocations. Detailed information on the west coast rock lobster and seaweed and fisheries is provided below.
West Coast rock lobster has historically been the main catch of the Northern Cape fishery industry. The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for this species in the Northern Cape was reduced from 90 tonnes to 34 tonnes between 1990 and 1999. Landed catches have shown a similar decreasing trend with 46 tonnes caught in the 1992/1993 season and only 6 tonnes in the 1999/2000 season (FAMDA, 2003). This is reflected in Figure 3.
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
TAC
Actual catch
Years
Figure 3: West Coast rock lobster TAC for the Northern Cape coast from 1969 to
2004 (FAMDA, 2003).
The data reflects the changes that have taken place in permit allocation in recent years.
The impact of decreased TAC is that there has been a related decline in the economic benefits derived from this fishery to the people of the Northern Cape.
The reason for the drop in landed catches is not easily explained. FAMDA (2003) report that there is no evidence for a major decline in resource status that would explain this decline in landed catches. The lack of success in landing catches could potentially be related to competition with Western Cape fisheries, limited seasons or poor knowledge of the state of the resource.
The quota allocations and landings for the 2000/2001 season again reflect the disparity between quotas allocated and the percentages landed in the Northern Cape (Table 3).
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
Table 3: West Coast rock lobster quota allocations for the 2000/2001 season in the Northern Cape and the percentage actually landed in the Northern Cape
(after Enviro0Fish Africa, 2003a)
Nature of fishing rights
Quota
(kg)
Landings in the
Northern Cape
Percentage landed in the Northern Cape
Full commercial
Limited commercial
Total
3 400
26 600
30 000
1233.6
9790.3
11023.9
36.28
36.80
36.75
South African seaweed concessionaires were allocated in 5 areas in the Northern Cape
Province in 2004 (Table 4).
Table 4: Northern Cape seaweed concessions for 2004 (Barron, 2004)
Area Description
14 Between the northern bank of the Olifants River and the southern bank of the Groen River
15
16
18
Between the security fence at Mitchells Bay and
Kleinzee
Northern border of the farm Oubeep and the border of the proclaimed area of the state alluvial digging north of Port Nolloth
Between Klienzee and Oubeep
Company
Eckloweed
Industries
Rekaofela Kelp
(Pty) Ltd.
Rekaofela Kelp
(Pty) Ltd.
Species
Kelp
Kelp
Kelp
19 Coastal area between the State Alluvial Digging and the Orange River mouth
Port Nolloth Sea
Farms (Pty) Ltd
Rekaofela Kelp
(Pty) Ltd.
Kelp
Kelp
Most of the concessions are for the kelp resource and can only be utilised with the permission of the authorities concerned. In view of the land ownership in coastal areas of the Northern Cape described in Table 1, many kelp concessions may not be fully utilised because of the restricted access to diamond mining areas along the coast.
The lack of data presents a problem in developing an accurate picture of the allocation and catches per fishery. However, a statement on the state of some of the fisheries in the
Northern Cape has been made by Britz
(2000):
 Demersal trawl fishery:
Three local companies were allocated approximately 1600t on hake (
) in 1999, just over 1% of the national hake TAC.
Experimental licenses to catch West coast sole were issued in 1996 and 1997, of which over half of the catch was processed in Port Nolloth.
 Longline fishery:
Successful participation by local companies in the hake longline fishing experiment conducted by Marine and Coastal Management Fishing has resulted in al allocation of longline hake (400t) to Northern Cape companies.
 Handline fishery:
While small in biomass compared to demersal fishing, snoek (
) and other species provides many Northern Cape fishermen with jobs and is their main source of income outside the rock lobster season.
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
 Tuna poling:
No tuna fishing is performed out of Port Nolloth but some 179 tons are caught of the
Northern Cape coast.
 Small net fishery:
This is a subsistence fishery mainly for mullet (
species). Although the seine and drift nets provide little of commercial significance, they do provide food security to the local community.
The Northern Cape Province Fishing and Mariculture Sector Plan has been put in place to increase the development of fishing industry in the province (Britz
2002).
, 2002). While most of South African fisheries are maximally exploited, scope was identified to grow the industry in the Northern Cape Province by means of:
 Increased quota allocation to Northern Cape fisherfolk;
 Diversification of patterns of utilisation, including a wider range of vessel size and gear targeting a greater range of species;
 Landing a greater proportion of allocated quota in Port Nolloth; and
 Value adding, particularly of bycatch species (Britz
In order to track the development of the sector in the future, future monitoring and data collection on allocations and catches is necessary.
4.3
Distribution and abundance of resource species
Data on resource species is presented in terms of where species are found (distribution) and the number of individuals (abundance) of the species that occur along the Northern Cape coast. This indicator can be used to describe the biological richness of the coastal and marine living resources of the Northern Cape. Trends over time can be used to assess the changes in the species populations and can also be interpreted in terms of the health of the populations.
The intention of this indicator is however not to provide a detailed description of all marine and coastal species but to focus on specific resource species. Resource species are those species that can be used by humans for some form of material gain, for example, food or income generation through fishing or tourism. Species such as lobster, kelp, mussels and limpets and seals are thus valuable resource species as their use has direct socio-economic benefits to people.
Introduced to the west coast within the last three to four decades at Saldanha Bay (Grant &
Cherry 1985), the mussel species,
has successfully invaded the west coast to the extent that it is now the dominant mussel species and constitutes around
74% of intertidal mussel biomass (Steffani 2001). Research has shown that the mussel occurs on both sheltered and exposed shores, but is more abundant at semi-exposed sites and that high wave action, as opposed to extremely high wave action. Along the Northern
Cape coast there are specific areas where, over a period of 25 years, the species has reached extremely high levels of percentage cover (Table 5). It must be noted that whilst the data reflects mussel abundance at specific sits along the coast, the
can be found along most of the rocky shores. In an area where the limpet
covered approximately 42% of the surface area 15 years ago, the
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7 mussel now covered up to 81.5% of the primary substratum in the Argenvillei Zone, and the limpet only 5.5% (Steffani, 2001). This data provides a baseline from which trends can be highlighted in future reporting. The confidence in this data is medium.
Table 5: Mussel
Location
abundance data for the Northern Cape
Site Name Co-ordinates Ave No. .m
-2 Ave Biomass
(g.m
-2 )
% Cover calculated
Port Nolloth McDougal Bay 43.5
Brazil
Owen Island
Fish Factory
Abalone Farm
North Wreck
South
Boundary
Wooden
Wreck
Mid Way
North
29°16´31 S
16°52´16 E
29°16´17 S
16°52´06 E
Hondeklipbaai South Wreck 30°21´05 S
17°16´58 E
29°54´66 S
17°06´69 E
29°52´48 S
17°06´18 E
29°49´46 S
17°04´73 E
29°48´87 S
17°04´46 E
High: 3700
Med: 2000
Low: 1300
High: 4100
Med: 2400
Low: 2400
High: 6550
Med: 1900
Low: 2100
High: 4500
Med: 2750
Low: 1650
High: 4400
Med: 2500
Low: 1400
High: 4350
Med: 2750
Low: 850
High: 3950
Med: 2450
Low: 2750
High: 2400
Med: 2500
Low: 2550
High: 2400
Med: 950
Low: 850
High: 3850
Med: 900
Low: 1000
High: 44400
Mid: 18950
Low: 49500
High: 39050
Mid: 30950
Low: 46300
High: 59100
Mid: 47350
Low: 38800
High: 49250
Mid: 35450
Low: 31300
High: 44250
Mid: 40500
Low: 3600
High: 37300
Mid: 31600
Low: 20700
High: 36150
Mid: 31100
Low: 54500
High: 37250
Mid: 28450
Low: 34150
High: 40700
Mid: 31300
Low: 53750
High: 44550
Mid: 35600
Low: 26200
32
47
38
53
32
25
53
31
46
4.4
Value of marine and coastal resources
This indicator looks at the value of marine and coastal resources to the economies of coastal areas. The indicator is described through gross value added to the economy and income generated by marine and coastal activities. These statistics are presented in terms of gross value added in R1000 at current prices. There is medium confidence in this data.
The indicator provides a picture of how marine and coastal resources are being used to generate socio-economic benefits for the people of the Northern Cape Province. It must be noted that the value of marine and coastal resources could also be measured in nonmonetary terms such as aesthetics and conservation of biological diversity but this approach has not been adopted for the purposes of this indicator.
Fishing and the operation of fish farms only brings in economic value to the Namaqualand
District Municipality. As this District Municipality fully covers the Northern Cape coastline, it has the larger proportion of benefit to the economy.
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Figure 4: Gross value added (at current prices) by the fishing sector to
Namaqualand district economy (Regional Economic Focus, Version 1.6i)
Figure 4 shows that the rand value at current prices has been increasing over time until
2002. There has been a decline in 2003, although the actual gross value added by this sector is still substantial. Projections by the provincial government suggest that the sector will continue to generate increased value addition over time (Regional Economic Focus,
Version 1.6i). These events have meant that the average growth of the sector between
1996/2003 has been -0.9%, as shown in Figure 5 (Regional Economic Focus, Version 1.6i).
When compared to other primary sector activities, for 2003, the gross value added by the fishing sector (R4 040 000) to the economy of Namaqualand District Municipality was the lowest compared to agriculture (R84 427 000), mining of metal ores (R117 040 000) and other forms of mining (R232 010 000) (Regional Economic Focus, Version 1.6i). Compared to mining, the fishing sector thus brings in a nominal value added to the economy of the
Province. It should be noted at this point that while such resources may be exploited on the
Northern Cape coastline, the benefits are not necessarily reaped by the coastal region and can be distributed beyond the Province’s boundaries. For example, benefits from fishing may be identified in Western Cape, and from mining at the national level. In addition, it was not possible to include the value added by the tourism sector in this assessment, as the data for this sector has not been collated/reported as a sector in the Regional Economic Focus.
15

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
2
0
-2
-4
6
4
-6
-8
96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03
-10
-12
Time (Years)
Figure 5: Average annual growth of the fishing sector between 1996/2002
(Regional Economic Focus, Version 1.6i)
In terms of the national picture, the Northern Cape has approximately 0.5% of the economic benefit generated through the fishing sector nationally. This benefit is accrued by the
Namaqualand District Municipality.
As a large portion of marine and coastal areas are under mining concessions, this sector remains a dominant economic force in the Northern Cape region. Statistics from the
Minerals Bureau in 1997 (Minerals Bureau, 1997 quoted in Clark
1999).
1999) showed that whilst only 10 000 males and 900 females are employed in this sector, this sector accounted for approximately 54% of the Gross Geographic Product and 66% of employment in the region. The total earnings from the sector were R553.5 million but this figure also includes those employees who live outside the region (Clark
4.5
Management of marine and coastal resources
This indicator measures the involvement of stakeholders in managing marine and coastal resources in the Northern Cape. The indicator is measured by describing the budgets, personnel and fora that are dedicated to the Northern Cape marine and coastal management. This represents a response by the government to control and manage marine and coastal resources in the Province.
The main bodies that have legislated responsibility for marine and coastal resources in the
Northern Cape are the Marine and Coastal Management Branch of DEAT, and DTEC. The
Namaqualand Marine Protected Area will be managed by the South African National Parks once it has been formally declared. Details of the management of the marine protected area are still to be finalised (de Kock,
2005).
Within the provincial government, DTEC was independently responsible for marine and coastal management. This situation has been revised in the last two years with the development of the Northern Cape Coastal Management Programme and the establishment
16

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7 of the Northern Cape Provincial Coastal Committee (PCC) (Table 6). The PCC provides “the avenue through which stakeholder participation can take place on a formal basis, and through which public participation can be directed” (Enviro-Fish Africa 2003b, 2003, p98).
An annual budget of approximately R15000 has been allocated to the PCC by the
Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods Programme to cover catering and travelling expenses of two
PCC members (Pietersen, 2005).
The present PCC is an interim structure that will operate until the Member of the Executive
Council responsible for environment establishes a new PCC in terms of the envisaged
Coastal Management Act. The objective of the PCC is to ‘promote sustainable coastal development – involving a balance between material prosperity, social development, cultural values, spiritual fulfilment and ecological integrity, in the interests of the current and future generations of the Northern Cape and South Africa in general’ (NC PCC, 2004). A major concern regarding the present PCC is the relative lack of scientific expertise represented
(Abrahams, 2004).
Table 6: Provincial Coastal Committee Organisational Representation (Abrahams,
2004,
.)
Organization
Fishing & Mariculture Development Association
Kamiesberg Municipality
Department of Tourism, Environment & Conservation
Nama Khoi Municipality
Department of Housing & Local Government
Namakwa District Municipality
Richtersveld Municipality
Department of Finance & Economic Affairs
Department of Minerals & Energy
DEAT Marine & Coastal Management
Alexkor (Pty) Ltd.
De Beers Namaqualand Mines
Trans Hex
South African National Parks
Department of Water Affairs & Forestry
Namakwalandse Besigheids Inligtingsdiens
The development of the Northern Cape Coastal Management Programme (NCCMP) is a positive step towards integrated coastal zone management. An important development planned through the NCCMP is the establishment of the Coastal Management Unit within the
DTEC. The Coastal Management Unit will be situated in the Environmental Management
Directorate and will be the main provincial government body responsible for ensuring delivery of the Northern Cape Coastal Management Programme (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003b).
All of the structures planned in the NCCMP have not yet been established but DTEC continues to be the lead agent for coastal management at a provincial government level
(Figure 6).
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
DTEC Budgetary allocation to coastal management
800000
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0
2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006
Financial year
Figure 6: DTEC budgetary allocation to coastal management (Abrahams, 2004).
DTEC’s budgetary allocation to coastal management increased substantially after 2000/2001
(an increase of approximately R500 000) and has steadily increased in smaller increments since the 2002/2003 financial year (Figure 3). This increase coincided with the implementation of the DFID-funded Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods Programme (Abrahams,
2004). The confidence in these data are high as it was recently received from DTEC.
5 RESPONSES
5.1
International responses
The main objectives of the CITES convention are to protect endangered species that are prominent in international trade, and to monitor the status of these species (DEAT, 2002a).
More information on CITES is presented in the Biodiversity Specialist Report in this series.
The ‘Bonn’ Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals addressed the need for nations to cooperate in the conservation of cross-border migration of wild animals. This includes marine animal and bird species. South Africa’s participation in this
Convention is particularly important as it is the end point for many migratory birds and whales (DEAT, 2002a). South Africa acceded to the Bonn Convention in 1991.
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
The ‘Basel’ Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal was ratified by South Africa in 1994. The main objectives of the
Convention are to reduce the production of hazardous waste, and to restrict the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste (DEAT, 2002a). Where transboundary movement does take place, it is to be strictly controlled and conducted in an environmentally sound manner. This is of particular importance where spillages and shipping disasters may lead to contamination and destruction of the marine and coastal environment.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was ratified by South Africa in 1997.
This Convention presents a universal legal framework for the management and conservation of marine resources (UN, 2004).
The main objectives of this Agreement are to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of straddling fish stocks (stocks ranging between national and international waters) and highly migratory fish stocks, to improve cooperation between different nations for this purpose, and to ensure the effective enforcement of the conservation and sustainable use of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks (UN, 2004).
The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was established in order to properly conserve whale stocks, and allow for the development of an orderly whaling industry. South Africa participated in the drafting of this Convention, and was one of the first countries to ratify the Convention in 1946 (DEAT, 2002a).
The International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean. The ICCAT is the only organisation allowed to undertake work required for the study and management of large pelagic fish in the Atlantic Ocean (DEAT, 2002a). The ICCAT is responsible for the development of allocation criteria for country quotas, and the monitoring and enforcement of legal fishing of this stock. South Africa was a founder member of this Convention, ratified in 1967.
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
The Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in the South
East Atlantic Ocean ensures the long term conservation and sustainable use of fish stocks other than highly migratory stocks, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction in the South
East Atlantic Ocean. The ‘SEAFO’ Convention (SEAFO: South East Atlantic Fisheries
Organisation) was signed in 2001 and entered into force in 2003. South Africa was a founding member of this Convention (EU, 2004).
The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries is a voluntary Code that was approved by the
South African Cabinet in 2003. The Code proposes various changes in the global fisheries sector in order to encourage sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture, including the capture, processing and trade of fish and fish products, and fishing operations, aquaculture, fisheries research, and the integration of fisheries into coastal area management (DEAT,
2002a).
The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other
Matter, also known as the London Convention, was acceded by South Africa in 1998. The
Convention governs the dumping of wastes at sea in order to protect the marine environment. It is important to note that South Africa is currently the only African country that is a Contracting Party to the London Convention (DEAT, 2002a; London Convention,
2003).
The Convention does not cover normal operation waste discharges from sea vessels, waste from exploration or extraction of sea bed mineral resources and placement on the sea floor for purposes other than disposal (e.g. scientific research devices). Almost all hazardous wastes (in Annex I) of the Basel Convention are prohibited from sea disposal under the
London Convention (London Convention, 2003).
Otherwise known as the MARPOL Convention, this Convention is the primary international agreement governing operational and accidental pollution of the marine environment by ships.
The Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) Programme is a multinational crosssectoral initiative by Angola, Namibia and South Africa to manage the living marine resources of the Benguela Current LME in an integrated and sustainable manner and to protect the marine environment. It is funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) under its International Waters portfolio and is implemented by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) with the United Nations Office of Programme Services
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
(UNOPS) as an executing agency. The three member countries provide financial and in-kind contributions.
The BCLME Programme focuses on a number of key areas, including fisheries, environmental variability, seabed mining, oil and gas exploration and production, coastal zone management, ecosystem health, socio-economics and governance. The area of operation encompasses the region extending from the northern border of Angola (Cabinda
Province) to the eastern part of the Western Cape Province in South Africa (i.e. Port
Elizabeth). The east-west boundary extends from the high water mark out to the edge of the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone and further seaward in the region of the Angola-
Benguela front (BCLME, 2005).
5.2
National responses
The White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development in South Africa heralds a shift in the policy approach to the use and management of coastal resources (1999). The White Paper sets out a vision for sustainable coastal development which it aims to achieve through integrated coastal management. Goals and objectives have been defined for coastal management under the themes of governance and capacity building; national asset; coastal planning and development; natural resource management; and pollution control and waste management. The new policy places a greater responsibility on the provincial government to manage coastal resources for the benefit of all South Africa’s people. Equitable access to resource benefits is particularly important in the Northern Cape context.
The related Coastal Management Bill was drafted in 2002 but has not been presented for comment to the public as yet (Republic of South Africa, 2003).
The White Paper on a Marine Fisheries policy for South Africa has the objective of improving the overall contribution from the fishing industry to the long-term vision of a democratic
South Africa with a growing economy, poverty alleviation, improved quality of life and a secure and productive environment (Republic of South Africa, 1997). The fundamental premise of the policy is that “all natural marine living resources of South Africa, as well as the environment in which they exist and in which mariculture activities may occur, are a national asset and the heritage of all its people, and should be managed and developed for the benefit of present and future generations in the country as a whole” (Republic of South
Africa, 1997). The White Paper addresses issues of sustainable development in terms of access and rights, fisheries management and labour relations within the context of the fisheries sector.
CoastCare is an initiative of the Marine and Coastal Management Branch to implement the
White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development. It is a joint government and civil society partnership with the intention of harnessing sustainable and equitable development
21

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7 opportunities at the coast (DEAT, 2000). CoastCare provides financial and technical assistance to coastal development projects. Emphasis is placed on the assistance of poor communities.
Due to the presence of significant coastal poverty and constraints to livelihood options in many coastal communities, the national DEAT has established a Sustainable Coastal
Livelihoods Programme (SCLP). The Programme, organised through the Marine and Coastal
Management branch of DEAT, is based on the recognition that the nature and sustainability of livelihood strategies adopted by the poor along the coast vary considerably. Small-scale, localised projects are thus the focus of the programme.
In the Northern Cape, the key issues that are being addressed through the SCLP include geographic isolation with low population densities; medium levels of unemployment; and limited developmental support (SCLP Advisory Team, 2002).
In order to address some of the historical inequality in access to commercial fishing rights, the DEAT has introduced policies on the establishment of new fisheries (Republic of South
Africa, 1997). The new approach to permit allocation involves ensuring that historically disadvantaged individuals and black empowerment companies are given fair access to medium term fishing rights (DEAT, 2002b). This policy shift has benefited some of the smaller Northern Cape fishing companies.
The purpose of the DEAT Poverty Relief Programme is to manage and administer poverty relief proposals and spin-off projects in the tourism and environment sectors, with a special focus on infrastructure investment and product development (DEAT, 2001). In the Northern
Cape, some of the funding has been allocated towards CoastCare programmes and coastal development projects.
Through the Poverty Alleviation Fund, DEAT has funded several projects in the Northern
Cape to support sustainable livelihoods. These include the South-North Tourism Route,
Hondeklipbaai Resource Centre and the Sizamile Resource Centre (SCLP Advisory Team,
2002).
Notice has been given of the intention of government to declare the Namaqualand Marine
Protected Area under Section 43 of the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998
(Government Gazette No. 26050, 2004). The objectives of declaring the Marine Protected
Area are to:
 Protect marine habitats and ecosystems that are representative of South Africa’s cool-temperate west coast;
 Serve as a reference area against which the effects of demersal trawling can be assessed; and
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2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
 Promote ecotourism along a coastline that has been elsewhere heavily impacted by diamond mining (DEAT, 2004).
The co-ordinates of the Marine Protected Area have been laid out in the notice of intention to declare the marine protected area, as well as the prohibition and permits applicable to activities allowed within the Area. This will be the first Marine Protected Area in the
Northern Cape Province and will conserve an area which has previously received little attention. The declaration of a marine protected area in the Northern Cape is important as this will be the only conservation area representative of the west coast temperate ecosystems and includes Charles Bank, a biologically rich area for fish species (de Kock,
2005).
Regulations were promulgated in December 2001 in terms of NEMA for the control of vehicles in the coastal zone. The regulations provided for a general prohibition on the recreational use of vehicles in the coastal zone, procedures for approving the use of vehicles under specific circumstances and for enforcement and penalties for the regulations (Republic of South Africa, 2001). In 2004, further amendments were proposed for the regulations controlling the use of vehicles in the coastal zone under NEMA. The proposed amendment includes proposed permits for use of vehicles in the coastal zone, licensing for boatlaunching sites and some deletions of regulations. The proposed amendment is supported by draft guidelines on the implementation of the regulations (Republic of South Africa,
2004).
The Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998 deals with the utilisation, conservation and management of marine living resources and provides for the establishment of marine protected areas (Republic of South Africa, 1998).
The Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act recognises that minerals and petroleum resources are non-renewable, and should be exploited in an ecologically sustainable manner that promotes economic and social development. The Act makes provision for regulations governing mineral and petroleum resources, provides for a social and labour plan, as well as environmental and pollution & waste control regulations. In addition, the Act seeks to provide equitable access to South Africa's mineral and petroleum resources and eradication of discriminatory practices in the industry (Republic of South
Africa, 2002).
5.3
Provincial responses
In response to the White Paper on Sustainable Coastal Development, DTEC initiated the development of a Coastal Management Programme in 2003 (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003b). The
Northern Cape Coastal Management Plan through a consultative process outlines:
23

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7


 a vision and principles for coastal management in the Northern Cape; priority issues for the Northern Cape Coastal Management Programme; goals and objectives of the Programme in line with the White Paper on Sustainable
Coastal Development; and
 a Plan of Action including the establishment of various bodies for coastal management in the Northern Cape.
The vision of the Northern Cape Coastal Management Plan is “to promote sustainable coastal development and the realisation of livelihoods that reflect the true range of ecological and socio-economic opportunities in the Northern Cape coastal zone. This will be achieved by creating co-operative governance institutions and capacity to promote environmental conservation and sectoral growth” (Enviro-Fish Africa, 2003b). The
Programme represents an important step forward for the Province in terms of integrated coastal management.
The plan was developed in 2003 and a draft document is currently being circulated for comment.
One of the foundations of the Northern Cape Coastal Management Programme is the development of a Northern Cape Provincial Coastal Committee (PCC). This group was established in 2003. The group’s primary function is to act as the primary vehicle for public and stakeholder participation in integrated coastal management. In time, it is envisaged that the working group will be formalised as a Provincial Coastal Committee with permanent members and specific responsibilities (Enviro-Fish Africa 2003b). Membership of the PCC will include persons to represent any group or body with a particular interest in coastal management including:

 organs of state; persons that may depend on the use of coastal resources for their livelihoods;


 coastal community associations; environmental interest groups, research establishments; coast-dependent businesses; and persons with expertise in fields relevant to coastal management

(NC PCC, 2004)
Recognising the importance and potential of the fishing and mariculture sector to the
Northern Cape economy, the provincial Department of Economic Affairs, under the auspices of the Fishing and Mariculture Development Association, has developed a Fishing and
Mariculture Sector Development Strategy (Department of Economic Affairs and Tourism,
2003). The purpose of the plan is to promote investment in the mariculture sector as a means to mitigate the future negative socio-economic impact associated with diamond mining downscaling. The intention is to make strategic interventions in the fishing and mariculture sectors to promote development through a portfolio of project development opportunities.
24

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
The Gariep Spatial Development Initiative (SDI) is a large-scale development plan for a large portion of the Northern Cape coastal area. The SDI seeks to maximise the socio-economic benefit from marine and coastal resources within its area of influence (Eco-Africa, 2002).
Some of the activities that have been initiated include a fish processing factory and mariculture incubator at the disused John Overstone fish processing factory; promotion of a
Namaqualand Mariculture Industrial Park; and experimental work in mariculture development (Spatial Development Initiatives, 2003).
6 SUMMARY OF MARINE AND COAST
The Northern Cape Province’s coastline stretches for 313 kilometers, along the Namakwa
District Municipality. The area is rich in marine and coastal resources including abundant marine life associated with the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem and rich mineral resources. The existence of mineral resources, particularly diamonds, in the coastal and offshore environments have had a significant impact on the development of these areas as well as the ability of the people of the Northern Cape to use other marine and coastal resources for financial, subsistence and recreational benefit.
The state of the Northern Cape’s marine and coastal resources have been described in terms of access to resources, commercial allowable catches and landings, distribution and abundance of resource species, economic value of marine and coastal resources and the management of these resources.
As mentioned earlier, the issue of accessibility of marine and coastal resources is affected by mining activities and mining rights along most of the Northern Cape coast. A large proportion of the area is under the ownership of private and state-owned mining companies that have concessions to mine in the area. This has severely limited the accessibility of coastal areas to a large portion of the people of the Northern Cape Province. This has also affected the ability of people to utilise marine and coastal resources.
A number of companies are involved in commercial exploitation of marine resources through the fishing of certain commercial linefish, West Coast Rock Lobster and seaweed. The data provided on Northern Cape fisheries is partially skewed due to the fact that not all allocations are caught in the Northern Cape waters and not all fish caught off the Northern
Cape coast is landed in the Province. A substantial proportion of the catches off the
Northern Cape waters may in fact be landed in Western Cape harbours. The sector is affected by a history of permit allocations being limited to a few big companies and plans are underway at a national and provincial level to support SMME development in this sector.
In terms of the distribution and abundance of resource species, it seems that the invasive mussel species are well established in the Northern Cape. Current research is also being undertaken to understand the state of the West Coast Rock Lobster and seaweed resources in the Province. In many cases, it is difficult to report on resource species due to insufficient data for TAC and allocations.
The exploitation of marine and coastal resources has generated economic benefit to the
Province. This benefit is mostly directed to the Namaqualand District Municipality and is a relatively small amount compared to benefits derived from the mining sector in the region.
25

2004 NC SoER – Marine and Coast Specialist Report 7 of 7
The growth of the fishing sector has also been slow and FAMDA are active in trying to increase development in these areas.
In terms of the overall management of marine and coastal resources in the Northern Cape, there has been very positive development in recent years. This includes the establishment of the NC PCC, the development of a NCCMP and establishment of a marine protected area.
In line with the development of the White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development, these initiatives bode well for the future of marine and coastal resources in the Northern Cape
Province.
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Tapscott, C. 1999.
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8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author would like to acknowledge contributions from the following people:
 Elane Marthinus, Fishing and Mariculture Development Association (FAMDA)
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