Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area
Aliwal Shoal MPA location
Location	South coast of kwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nearest city	Umkomaas and Scottburgh
Coordinates	30°15′S 31°00′E / 30.250°S 31.000°E / -30.250; 31.000
Area	670 km2
Established	2004, 2018
Governing body	??
Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (South Africa)

The Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area is a coastal and offshore marine protected area between the Lovu and Mzimayi estuaries, off the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, South Africa.^[1] The MPA contains the popular scuba diving destination Aliwal Shoal

History

The MPA was established in 1991 and proclaimed by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, (Marthinus van Schalkwyk, in Government Gazette No. 26431 of 4 June 2004 in terms of section 43 of the) Marine Living Resources Act, 18 of 1998.^[2] The Aliwal Shoal MPA was extended by the addition of the large Aliwal Shoal Offshore Marine Protected Area in 2018/2019.^[1]

Purpose

A marine protected area is defined by the IUCN as "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values".^[2]

Extent

Map of the extent of the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area showing zonation and bathymetry

Bathymety of the older parts of the Aliwal Shoal MPA

Bathymetry of the Crown area and Produce restricted zones.

The protected area includes the seabed, subsoil and water column inside the boundaries.^[1] Length of coastline protected since 2004 is 18,30 km^[2] The area of ocean protected previous to the 2018 extension was 126 km².^[2] now 670 km².

Management

The marine protected areas of South Africa are the responsibility of the national government, which has management agreements with a variety of MPA management authorities, in this case, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, which manages the MPA with funding from the SA Government through the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).^[2]

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for issuing permits, quotas and law enforcement.^[5]

Use

Geography

Ecology

Marine bioregions of the South African Exclusive Economic Zone: Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area is in the Natal coastal bioregion.

(describe position, biodiversity and endemism of the region) The MPA is in the warm temperate Natal inshore marine bioregion to the north-east of the Mbashe River.^[7][8]

Four major habitats exist in the sea in this region, distinguished by the nature of the substrate. The substrate, or base material, is important in that it provides a base to which an organism can anchor itself, which is vitally important for those organisms which need to stay in one particular kind of place. Rocky shores and reefs provide a firm fixed substrate for the attachment of plants and animals. Sandy beaches and bottoms are a relatively unstable substrate and cannot anchor many of the other benthic organisms. Finally there is open water, above the substrate and clear of the kelp forest, where the organisms must drift or swim. Mixed habitats are also frequently found, which are a combination of those mentioned above.^[9] There are no significant estuarine habitats in the MPA.

Rocky shores and reefs There are rocky reefs and mixed rocky and sandy bottoms. For many marine organisms the substrate is another type of marine organism, and it is common for several layers to co-exist. Examples of this are red bait pods, which are usually encrusted with sponges, ascidians, bryozoans, anemones, and gastropods, and abalone, which are usually covered by similar seaweeds to those found on the surrounding rocks, usually with a variety of other organisms living on the seaweeds.^[9]: Ch.2

The type of rock of the reef is of some importance, as it influences the range of possibilities for the local topography, which in turn influences the range of habitats provided, and therefore the diversity of inhabitants. Sandstone and other sedimentary rocks erode and weather very differently, and depending on the direction of dip and strike, and steepness of the dip, may produce reefs which are relatively flat to very high profile and full of small crevices. These features may be at varying angles to the shoreline and wave fronts. There are fewer large holes, tunnels and crevices in sandstone reefs, but often many deep but low near-horizontal crevices.

Coral reefs

Sedimentary beaches and bottoms (including mud, sand, shelly, pebble and gravel bottoms) Sedimentary bottoms at first glance appear to be fairly barren areas, as they lack the stability to support many of the spectacular reef based species, and the variety of large organisms is relatively low. The sediment is continually being moved around by wave action, to a greater or lesser degree depending on weather conditions and exposure of the area. This means that sessile organisms must be specifically adapted to areas of relatively loose substrate to thrive in them, and the variety of species found on a sandy or gravel bottom will depend on all these factors. unconsolidated sedimentary bottoms have one important compensation for their instability, animals can burrow into the sediment and move up and down within its layers, which can provide feeding opportunities and protection from predation. Other species can dig themselves holes in which to shelter, or may feed by filtering water drawn through the tunnel, or by extending body parts adapted to this function into the water above the sand.^[9]: Ch.3

The open sea

Threats

Slipways and harbours in the MPA

There are no harbours in the MPA. Boats are launched directly into the sea from the beach, or when conditions allow, may be launched in a river and navigated through the river mouth.

See also

• List of protected areas of South Africa – Areas protected for conservation in South Africa
• Marine protected areas of South Africa – Protected areas of coastline or ocean in the EEZ of South Africa

References