An evaluation of participation and management of the South African spearfishery was undertaken by analysing spearfishing catch and effort data stored on the National Marine Linefish System (NMLS) and by conducting a creel and questionnaire survey. Results indicated that the spearfishery is the smallest sector of the linefishery, with an estimated 7 000 participants and an annual compounded growth rate of 6.14%. Regional comparisons of catch composition and catch-per-unit-effort (cpue) were made, although spearfishing data stored on the NMLS were biased in favour of KwaZulu-Natal. Analysis of the data from KwaZulu-Natal showed little evidence of a decline in cpue or significant changes in species composition between 1984 and 1995. However, considerable overlap was noted between catches of spearfishermen and those made by other sectors of the linefishery. Of the 950 postal questionnaires sent to KwaZulu-Natallicence-holders, 152 (16%) were returned. A further 38 personal interviews and 74 creel inspections were completed during shore patrols and boat inspections in the Eastern and Western Cape. Spearfishermen interviewed generally showed a positive response to the current linefish management measures and, other than for minimum size limits, compliance with the regulations was good. A number of suggestions for improving management of the speartishery are discussed.
The biodiversity and ecological integrity of many marine ecosystems are being threatened (Worm et al. 2006;O'Hara et al. 2019). For this reason, many marine habitats, species and ecosystem functions have been granted protection from human pressures in marine protected areas (MPAs), a tool that is increasingly favoured as a response to declines in marine biodiversity (Beaugrand et al. 2015;McCauley et al. 2015). The Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD's) definition of a marine and coastal protected area is "any confined area within or adjacent to the marine environment, together with its overlying waters and associated flora, fauna, and historical and cultural features, which has been reserved by legislation or other effective means, including custom, with the effect that its marine and/or coastal biodiversity enjoys a higher level of protection than its surroundings" (CBD 2004, p 2). Many
Animal presentations have the potential to reach zoo and aquarium visitors with powerful conservation messages that inspire environmentally responsible behaviour. However, there is limited information available on the style of presentation that would be most effective in achieving the greatest impact. This research study was designed to investigate the impact of two differently designed dolphin presentations on conservation-learning outcomes and overall enjoyment of visitors. The results showed that increasing the educational content of the presentation enhanced visitor learning considerably, without detracting from their enjoyment of the presentation. The research provides evidence for the value of animal presentations in the conservationeducation programmes of zoos and aquariums, and provides suggestions of how to increase the impact of such presentations.
Research on the socio-economic aspects of marine protected areas (MPAs) in South Africa is reviewed to guide evaluation and integration. After a brief international review, we used declaration notices and management plans to determine the extent to which social and economic objectives have been included in the purpose statements of MPAs. We then reviewed the current state of knowledge about the social and economic effects of South African MPAs. While many MPAs have purposes and objectives that include some social and economic objectives, these are limited in scope. Most of the MPAs that were declared before 2019 did not include objectives directly related to people or their needs. Social or economic research has been undertaken in fewer than half of the 23 coastal MPAs. Literature is largely limited to: (i) studies on negative impacts of MPAs on adjacent rural communities; (ii) selected aspects of tourism; and (iii) various aspects related to resource use. A wide range of other tangible and intangible effects, including those experienced by a broader set of stakeholders and over differing scales of time and space, have seldom been addressed. A case study on the Tsitsikamma MPA exemplifies challenges associated with understanding the full scope of social and economic aspects of MPAs. We conclude with recommendations to address the challenges of building a better understanding of the social and economic effects of MPAs, ensuring that these are addressed in establishing or revising objectives for each MPA, and assessing the extent to which the objectives meet both human and environmental needs.
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