The BBC congratulates #BirdLifeSouthAfrica and #SANCCOBsavesSeabirds, represented by the Biodiversity Law Centre, on their perseverance and hard work in negotiating a vitally important settlement with the commercial sardine and anchovy purse-seine fishers.
The Pretoria High Court subsequently issued an order of court to secure “no-take” zones for commercial sardine and anchovy fishing around six key colonies of the Critically Endangered African penguin. The six closures work together to secure biologically meaningful foraging areas for African penguins.
What does this new “no take” zone look like for Stony Point colony?
The coloured diagram shows:
- The blue box indicating the Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Betty’s Bay
- The orange box indicating the pre-settlement closures
- The green area indicating the core penguin foraging area
- And the Black “dashed” line indicating the March 2025 Court ordered closure – fully restricted area.
This settlement was a great win for the Stony Point African penguin colony. The new closure area incorporates most of the penguins’ preferred foraging areas. The closure stretches from the Hangklip lighthouse to the eastern edge of Kerries Bay near Hawston.
Notice that the Dyer Island closure is different as it is a “split-zone” closure that is vessel-size restricted i.e. they allow vessels under 26m into the core penguin foraging area. The Stony Point settlement is therefore important and a great win in the south coast closures.
The “all year” closures will be in place from the date of the court order for a period of 10 years i.e. up to 2035, which is currently the year that the penguins are predicted to be extinct in the wild. The closures will be subject to a scientific review after six years.
Dr Alistair McInnes, BirdLife South Africa’s Seabird Conservation Programme Manager said:
“This case has been first and foremost about improving the chances of conserving Africa’s only penguin species. The outcome of these closures will also benefit:
- other marine predator species, such as Cape Gannets and Cape Cormorants,
- other socio-economically important fish that also eat sardine and anchovy,
- the livelihoods of many who derive benefits from marine ecosystems that are equitable and judiciously managed.
We will continue to be led by the status of African Penguins and other seabirds, as indicators of the health of our oceans, and to focus with our partners on science-led solutions to conservation management along South Africa’s coastline.”
Thanks to BirdLife South Africa for the use of their diagrams, which makes the Stony Point scenario much clearer.
Below are their diagrams for the other four penguin colonies to indicate the prior and new fishing lines in relation to the penguins core foraging area.
We hope that the resulting increased availability of food will reduce some of the current stress of the penguins at Stony Point and help to change the “2035” prediction to a more positive one!