:: EASTERN CAPE ESTUARIES MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

Fifty percent of South Africa’s estuaries are located on the Eastern Cape coast and it is acknowledged that they offer enormous value to society. Despite their ecological, social and economic importance little is known about them and even less is known about how society interacts with them.

So as to address this and provide support for the effective management and conservation of these critical resources the Eastern Cape Estuaries Management Programme was established in 1998. From small beginnings the programme is now firmly established and comprises a partnership between the Water Research Commission, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Institute of Natural Resources. It is also supported financially by the Norwegian Government and the Tony and Lisette Lewis Foundation. In 2002 the programme was a finalist in the Green Trust Awards and in 2003 it won the overall Green Trust Award in the established project category.

The programme comprises four integrated components: direct support, capacity building and information transfer, research, and policy development.

Direct support includes assisting in the establishment of representative forums which can deal with various management issues and the support of enterprise development which unlock the economic value of the estuary. This is currently conducted at four estuaries: Mtentu, Mzintlava, Mngazana and Tyolomnqa.

Capacity building and information transfer includes training in estuary management, opportunities for post-graduate students, and the publication and dissemination of newsletters and user-friendly handbooks.

Research includes the establishment of guidelines for co-operative governance and management, monitoring, sustainable use, biodiversity protection, knowledge management, land-use planning, economic valuation and enterprise development. A strong focus of the current research is to determine mechanisms for the integration of estuary management and planning into the Integrated Development Planning processes of coastal municipalities.

Policy includes informing and being informed by the National Policy for Sustainable Coastal Development and the Eastern Cape Coastal Management Programme.

For further information on the Eastern Cape Estuaries Management Programme contact hay@ukzn.ac.za.

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