After 50-year's of protection, the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area - Africa's oldest marine protected area, is now open to fishing, according to a report on Traveller24.com
Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area was implemented to give protection to the county's remaining fish populations - the area specifically gives protection to eleven of South Africa’s 17 threatened fish species.
The South African Government's decision to allow up to 1000 fisherman to catch the country’s most endangered fish has drawn heavy criticism, with environmentalists arguing it goes "against scientific and conservation research."
The news story reports: "Proclaimed in 1964, South Africa’s marine equivalent of Kruger National Park lies on the southern Cape coast, stretching for 80kms along the shoreline. It is home to more than 200 species of fish, many of which are found only near South Africa’s shores. Less than 9 percent of the country’s 3 500km coastline is off-limits to fishing or exploitation. In the past century, line fishermen have wiped out most in-shore fish stocks."
Will you join me in urging the South African Government to not lift the fishing ban to ensure Africa’s oldest marine protected area is saved from exploitation?
Please sign and share the petition.
