Community and marine conservation in South Africa: Are we still missing the mark?
Abstract
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in South Africa have a long history with currently 5%
of the mainland’s ocean territory protected. The MPAs are celebrated and appreciated
for their representative coverage of several habitat types and their ecological benefits.
However, the story of correlational coastal community exclusion is not one that is often
told in the ‘success’ story of South African MPAs. In this review we describe the history
of marine conservation in South Africa and examine how the legislation and motivation
has evolved since Apartheid.