Session: S-193
Advancing an ecosystem-based approach to Marine Spatial Planning in South Africa

South Africa’s large exclusive economic zone (~ 1,5 million km2) extends into three oceans (Indian, Atlantic and Southern). Management of this ocean space has traditionally been undertaken within sectors, leading to conflict amongst sectors, and between sectors and the need for environmental protection. As the demand for ocean space and marine resources increases, in response to a growing oceans economy, a more integrated approach to... [ view more ]

South Africa’s large exclusive economic zone (~ 1,5 million km2) extends into three oceans (Indian, Atlantic and Southern). Management of this ocean space has traditionally been undertaken within sectors, leading to conflict amongst sectors, and between sectors and the need for environmental protection. As the demand for ocean space and marine resources increases, in response to a growing oceans economy, a more integrated approach to management is required to ensure that both ecological and socio-economic objectives are met. Marine spatial planning (MSP) has emerged in many countries as an effective process to achieve greater integration of marine resource management and policy, and in 2016, South Africa became the first African country to draft MSP legislation. In this Symposium, we present a series of key research projects to advance a trans-disciplinary ecosystem-based approach to South Africa’s new MSP process. We discuss biodiversity mapping of vulnerable marine ecosystems; the development of quantitative indices of marine ecosystem condition; spatial management of fisheries production and support areas; the role of spatial management in the reduction of bycatch in particular fisheries, and the reduction of conflict between top predators and fishing industries for target species. We conclude with a system dynamics model for a fine-scale ecosystem-based marine spatial plan for Algoa Bay. This novel approach will enable scenario planning within the Bay, to allow us to evaluate trade-offs among management options. The model can be scaled up to broader regions in line with emerging MSP legislation, thus demonstrating how marine science matters to policy development.