20 new MPAs approved in South Africa

A network of 20 new marine protected areas has been approved by the South African government, which will increase the percentage of protected ocean off the country’s coast from 0.4% to 5%.

The figure brings South Africa only half way to meeting the 10% target set for all nations’ coastal and marine areas under the Aichi Convention of Biological Diversity.

It is however regarded as a major step forward by environmental groups that have been campaigning in the area, including WILDOCEANS, Ocean Unite, WWF, the Centre for Environmental Rights and the South African Association for Marine Biological Research.

For comparison, and bearing in mind that levels of enforcement can differ widely, the UK has more than 200 MPAs but they cover only about 4% of its waters.