Development of two offshore Marine Protected Area Management Plans, South Africa

Anchor were appointed to revise and develop updated management plans for two offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the Southeast Atlantic Seamounts MPA and the Southwest Indian Seamounts MPA, in line with South African environmental legislation and national guidelines. The key aim is to enable effective and adaptive management of these MPAs by identifying necessary actions and aligning them with regulatory, ecological, and stakeholder priorities.

Both MPAs already have gazetted regulations, with zonation schemes that include restricted and controlled areas. The management plans detail objectives, regulatory frameworks, monitoring and enforcement protocols, financing strategies, and stakeholder engagement mechanisms, to be implemented in the next 10 years. These dynamic documents will support responsible governance by organs of state such as DFFE, EDTEA, DMRE, and local municipalities, ensuring the long-term conservation and sustainable use of sensitive offshore seamount ecosystems.