Supporting South Africa’s marine protected areas - Table Mountain National Park MPA. With nearly 1000 square kilometers of sea and coastline around the Cape Peninsula of South Africa from Mouille Point in the north to Muizenberg in the south, the Table Mountain National Park MPA lies in the transition zone where the cold Benguela and warm Atlantic currents mix.
This makes it extremely rich in biodiversity with vast kelp beds, submerged reef systems, sandy beaches and rugged coastlines with steep cliffs and large intertidal platforms. All of these habitats provide protection for 43 percent of all the marine species found along the entire countries coastline. Threatened and protected species supported within the MPA include great white sharks, abalone, African penguins and several over-exploited line fish species, such as poenskop and red steenbras. The MPA is also culturally important as it protects historical fish traps, Khoi-San middens, numerous wrecks. Traditional fishing communities still rely on marine resources for their survival.
With the MPA bordering the environs of Cape Town, it is a popular tourist destination that includes renowned attractions such as Cape Point and the Boulders Beach African Penguin breeding colony. Surfing, scuba-diving, snorkelling, kayaking, boating and marine mammal watching are all popular pastimes that take place within the MPAs waters.
Six restricted areas with five "no take" zones fall within the broader MPA boundaries where no fishing or extractive activities are allowed. In the sixth restricted area around the Karbonkelberg in Hout Bay, only snoek are allowed to be caught. These restricted zones are important breeding and nursery areas for marine life and are where threatened species are given a chance to recover and increase in number.
For more information please do visit Marine Protected Areas South Africa and also please help spread the news in support of our MPAs.