South Africa’s coral reefs stretch for approximately 150 km along the northern KZN coast from north of Cape Vidal to the Mozambique border. The reefs are separated into 3 groups termed the northern, central and southern complex and are situated in the Maputaland Marine Reserve and St Lucia Marine Reserve. Combined these two marine parks form part of the iSimangoliso Wetland Park, which was proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 1999. Although all of the coral reefs lie within marine protected areas (MPA) they do not have the same levels of protection i.e certain reefs are located within sanctuaries while others are designated multiple-use zones.

Why are MPAs necessary? 

Unless managed sustainably, the uses and users of marine ecosystems can threaten, change and destroy the very processes and resources that they depend on. 

Marine protected areas help protect important habitats and representative samples of marine life and can assist in restoring the productivity of the oceans and avoid further degradation. They are also sites for scientific study and can generate income through tourism and sustainable fishing. MPAs provide a range of benefits for fisheries, local economies and the marine environment. 

South Africa is very fortunate that all of its coral reefs are situated within MPAs. However, there has been limited research conducted on the affects of human activities in the different MPA zones. Do these activities influence the fish communities and if so, to what extent? 

KwaZulu Natals iSimgangaliso Wetland Park has been called a small Eden and its not hard to see why.  Beach and bush lay side by side and you can find both turtle tracks and leopard spoor on the magnificent shoreline.

 There’s no other place in the world with a comparable ecological footprint.  Within the park which covers 332 000 hectares you can find no less than eight interlinking ecosytems, 25 000 year old coastal dunes, more than 2000 plant species, 100 types of butterfly, five turtle species, the top frog count in the country and 526 bird species.  Wild dog, buffalo, oribi, cheetah, black and white rhino, lions and some of the largest Tusker elephants in South Africa can all be found in South Africa’s first World Heritage Site.

 When elephants were reintroduced to the park in 2001, Nelson Mandela made a speech and aptly said:

‘The Wetland Park must be the only place on the globe where the world’s oldest mammal (the rhinoceros) and the world’s biggest mammal (the elephant) share an eco-system with the world’s oldest fish (the coelacanth) and the world’s biggest marine mammal (the whale).’

 It really is an amazing place and visitors can scuba dive in the Indian Ocean on Sodwana Bay’s pristine coral reefs and enjoy an afternoons game viewing all in one day.