action plans and legislations. It is also a cultural problem, thus calling for changes in behaviour. That was the goal of a recent pilot project aimed at showing schools and communities what the problem of marine litter is and how they can be part of the solution.

With funding from the BCLME Programme, schools in Walvis Bay (Namibia) and Buraco and Mabunda (near Luanda, Angola) participated in beach cleanups, poster competitions and school dramas. While these activities may seem like a drop in the ocean, their replication effect was by no means insignificant—they have already led to a wider programme in Walvis Bay, and will hopefully serve as examples for further action elsewhere.

functions as one large system ecologically interlinked, actions taken in one country will affect the other countries flanked by the same ecosystem. Should Angola, Namibia and South Africa not join hands to manage and protect our marine environment then?

It was to implement the idea of a regional management system that the BCLME Programme was developed and the Benguela Current Commission (BCC) formed. The BCC will strengthen regional cooperation on regulatory, institutional, decision-making and scientific aspects relating to the Benguela region. Its decisions and results will trickle down to the coastal populations, the fishers, diamond miners, tourist operators, and everybody that uses our rich coast.

The DLIST-CPUT Environmental Engineering course kicks off:
This year, the course on Environmental Engineering—Sustainable Development in Coastal Areas welcomes sixteen distance learners, fifteen of which hail from Namibia. Through the DLIST-Benguela portal, they will join the students at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) on this semester course that covers core environmental concepts with a focus on the coastal areas of South Africa and Namibia.

The course material, a dynamic pool of information and a forum for discussion are accessible on the DLIST portal to all students—as well as to anyone interested to learn and exchange views about coastal development. This year CPUT’s Environmental Resource Centre (ERC) will provide additional support to contact students through the Library, and to distance learners through the online portal.

The Strandloper Guide to the Namaqua Coast
Strandlopers – Visitor’s guide to the Namaqua coast” is a brochure that was born out of the need for an eco watchdog body for the Northern Cape’s coastal areas. Widely distributed and publicised on the media, the brochure addresses the issue of ORVs (Off-Road Vehicles), litter, fireworks and others relating to the destruction of flora and fauna and the disruption of peace and quiet during the season time.

But more than a brochure, the Strandlopers came to mean the like minded “people” or carers of the coast. Its tentacles spread north and south. DLIST-Benguela can hopefully remain the vehicle for Strandlopers to keep up the momentum…so that when the next “season” arrives we will be at the ready!!

The new integrated coastal management bill in South Africa – towards effectively managing our coast.
A new piece of legislation in South Africa—the Integrated Coastal Management Bill—is about to replace the 1935 Sea Shore Act. But why should all of us care about this new Bill? The coast is a huge economic asset to the country. It provides coastal communities with an opportunity to improve their livelihoods and way of life, but it also attracts investment that can quickly lead to uncontrolled development. The new Bill attempts to promote integration, community participation and coordination of efforts for the protection and sustainable management of the coast.

There are various notable points that need to be made about the new Bill. Firstly, the Bill provides public access of the coast to all citizens, thus making it “coastal public property”. Secondly, the Bill provides for a “coastal buffer zone” in which certain activities are prohibited in order to protect coastal ecosystems and communities. The new Bill also brings added responsibilities for municipalities, who must draw up coastal management plans. All in all, it is a much needed and long awaited piece of legislation.

A new phase in the protection of Angolan biodiversity: the new NBSAP
Angola has marked a new phase in the protection of its natural heritage with the approval of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The first step in developing this document was a series of studies to investigate the state of the country’s biodiversity on land and in the sea, what laws protect it, and how communities have been using it ...

[ find out more ]

Environmental ethics: quad biking in the dunes
A quad biking competition was recently proposed for the coastal dunes of Elands Bay in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This cause some disbelief among coastal stakeholders and brought to the fore the age old debate of quick economic gain vs. environmental protection. For more details see:
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The Topnaars and a sequence of misleading events
A news article from the Namibian posted to the DLIST-Benguela discussion forum evoked response from a local Topnaar community representative. The discussion is around a cleanup campaign along the Kuiseb River promoted by the Gobabeb Training and Research Centre (GTRC) and the community’s participation.
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A question of lobster
DLIST members discuss the complexities of lobster fishing, harvesting regulations, and ghost trapping, and community spin offs
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Walvis Bay
Is that fishy smell that characterizes Walvis Bay a hindrance to visitors and the local community or is this part and parcel of what sets this unique town apart from the rest?
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• Our Coast Our Future: A New Approach to Coastal Management in South Africa
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• Ship-board abalone aquaculture project is a success
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• The Richtersveld Community Conservancy eNewsletter - Feb 07
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• Changes in Ecological and Socio-Economic Conditions in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Since Implementation of the Regulations for the Control of Vehicles in the Coastal Zone
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• Policy for the Allocation and Management of Medium Term Small Scale Commercial Fishing Rights: 2006
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• Planning and Managing Sustainable Off Road Routes: A Guide for Route Planners and Operators
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