WWF HONDA MARINE PARKS PROGRAMME

The False Bay Coastal Conservation Partnership Stakeholder Workshop Process

Crayfish boats in Kalk Bay Harbour

The ever-increasing use of the bay’s marine resources by a wide range of often competing users, has resulted in conflict and tension between various stakeholder groups. These issues range from exploitation of the bay’s fish stocks, spatial use of the bay, shark/human interactions, water quality and pollution in the bay and safety and security along the coastline.
False Bay is a popular destination in the Cape Metropolitan Area for outdoor recreational activities. Non-consumptive activities such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing, and picnicking mainly occur on the sandy shores, along the northern coastline and beaches along the western and eastern coasts. Popular areas for these activities include Fish Hoek, Muizenberg, Mnandi, Monwabisi, Kogelbaai and the Strand. Snorkellers and scuba divers are also very active in False Bay, mostly around rocky shores near Miller’s Point. Exploitative activities, such as recreational angling (rock and surf, and boat-based) and bait collection also extend around the entire bay.

Crayfish nets

There has been rapid urban growth in areas surrounding False Bay, particularly along the northern shores and the recent identification of additional coastal development nodes along the False Bay coastline will result in an inevitable increase in pressures on the bay. Coastal resorts in False Bay frequently reach capacity during peak season times and as a result development planners face the challenge of meeting the increasing demand for easily accessible coastal developments, in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The commercial fishery in False Bay dates back more than 300 years and includes purse-seine for live bait (four boats operating from Kalk Bay harbour), beach-seine (‘trek-net fishery”) and commercial line-fisheries (including the traditional line fishery from Kalk Bay, and the ski-boat fishery).
Eco-tourism enterprises, for example whale-watching, shark cage diving, and Seal Island boat trips are gaining in popularity in False Bay and are seen by many as a positive step towards the sustainable use of the bay’s marine resources, with the potential to generate alternative local livelihood options.

Smooth Hound sharks destined for Australia to be sold as lemon fish

The ever-increasing use of the bay’s marine resources by a wide range of often competing users, has resulted in conflict and tension between various stakeholder groups. These issues range from exploitation of the bay’s fish stocks, spatial use of the bay, shark/human interactions, water quality and pollution in the bay and safety and security along the coastline.
Historically, marine and coastal management was managed via a sector-based approach, which was adequate given that utilization of the sea and its resources was limited to few uses (e.g. fishing and navigation) that rarely influenced one another. But the rapid growth of ocean and coastal utilization from many sectors created conflict among uses such that sectoral management could no longer sufficiently address the issues. This is why there is the need for collaborative, integrated coastal management that includes input from civil society in the decision making processes.
Stakeholder workshop process
A multi-stakeholder workshop, open to any interested parties, was held on February 16^th 2012, to discuss the state of False Bay.
Following the initial workshop, a series of smaller, focussed group workshops was held with each stakeholder group separately, to elicit more detailed feedback, and to elect representatives from each group.
Each group identified a set of issues that were considered as priorities. Some of these priority issues were common to more than one stakeholder group, forming a common thread throughout the workshop series. Although it must be kept in mind that these are the perceptions, opinions and issues raised by members of the public, and not necessarily factual or based on research, they are still the perceptions of the stakeholders who are involved or interested in False Bay, and as such need to be taken into account.

• Compliance and Law enforcement issues, including a lack of compliance with and enforcement of existing rules and regulations, and a lack of capacity and resources amongst governance agencies.

• Poaching, including a lack of monitoring, policing and compliance, fragmented enforcement and the failure of the judicial system.

• Education, Awareness and Training, where a pro-active approach is needed. Education is needed with respect to conservation, biodiversity, oceans, our marine environment, the social aspect of fisheries and the history of South Africa and False Bay. Training is needed with respect to the rules and regulations, the laws governing South Africa and False Bay, fisheries facts and trends, rights allocations, skills development, eco-tourism and alternative livelihoods provision. Awareness about False Bay needs to be increased – a drive to increase awareness around our environment, biodiversity, conservation, use of the resources, sustainability of resources and  sustainable development.

• Public Safety, including heightened awareness, visible effective policing and public protection, and that public transport and amenities should be monitored and policed.

• The need for a coordinated, integrated approach was emphasised. This should be amongst all governance agencies, at a national, provincial and local level. A need for an integrated management plan including an integrated compliance strategy was identified.

Diverse stakeholder groups working together for some smoother sailing...

What was a real revelation, and extremely encouraging, about this process was seeing how much in common all these diverse groups of False Bay users actually have, rather than how much they are in conflict. The next step is to harness this into a common goal and a shared vision, and to work together with governance agencies towards:
False Bay functioning optimally and delivering sustainable benefits to all those who use, depend on and enjoy the bay, for all current and future generations.