Page 7 - South Africa Report

Marsh samphire Salicornia meyeriana (ASCLME 2012e). These saltmarshes are clustered into zones
or habitats supports a different type of species. Saltmarshes serve a number of functions including
sediment stabilization, provide feeding and nursery for marine species and estuary ecosystems
filtration of pollution.

Seagrass beds Country Profile

South Africa hosts five seagrass beds which are only limited to the sheltered waters of estuaries The Republic of South Africa
(ASCLME 2012e). These include: C. rotundata, C. serrulata, H.ovalis, Z. capensis, T. haprichii
species. The most dominant of the seagrass species, are the Zostera Capensis sheltered in the east
coast estuaries with muddy bottoms and they are estimated to cover 700ha (Bandeira and Gell
2003). The rocky shorelines are the dominant with T. ciliatum species. Seagrasses are known for their
reproductive ecosystem. They serve as breeding grounds for most fishes and vertebrates.

Ecosystem management and conservation

The challenge
There is much potential to use the coastal and marine resources to support economic growth and
livelihoods. However, this is under threat due to over exploitation and degradation of the resources.

The Situation

Ecosystems services
The ecosystem services provided by oceans and their resources are important for the wellbeing of
South Africans. Seafood is an important part of the diet in certain coastal communities in South Africa
such as in KwaZulu-Natal. On an annual basis, about 312,000 tonnes of seafood is eaten which
translates to 6.25 kg per capita, making this an important factor of food security (WWF-SA 2014).

Other ecosystem services include flood attentuation, storm surge protection, waste assimilation,
biodiversity habitat, tourism and recreation. These activities provide significant opportunities for
economic and income growth to the approximately 30 per cent of South Africans who within 60km
of the coast (DEA 2000).

Mangrove degradation

Due to the paucity of information about mangrove, estimates are always drawn on the trends of
mangrove in the WIO region. However, most of the challenges and threats are the same in the
WIO region but with varying degrees of intensity. For examples issues of conversion, mangrove
clearance in favor of tourism, inadequate education on mangrove conservation, lack of knowledge
on mangrove environmental awareness, inadequate law enforcement, economic growth,
overharvesting for timber and charcoal and firewood, pest infestation, pollution from industries,
domestic run offs agricultural runoffs and some incidents of oil spills. Sedimentation and soil
erosion are also among the cause of mangrove destructions, climate change issues, clearing
land for industrial development. The on-going coastal development and climate change pose the
greatest risk to the mangrove ecosystem. An increase in sea level as result of climate change has
resulted into flooding of the mangrove areas. Coastal development has witnessed the degradation
of the mangrove ecosystem.

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