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The Low Down on Whale Sharks

Mar 14, 2017

The Low Down on Whale Sharks

So what’s the deal – is a whale shark a whale or a shark? Not only is the name a bit confusing, but so is the endearing character of Destiny (the whale shark) from the Pixar animation ‘Finding Dory’. Destiny is housed next door to a beluga whale and can even speak ‘whale’ – so surely she is a whale, right? Actually no, whale sharks are indeed sharks, the biggest sharks in the seas, with individuals reaching lengths of 12m and more (on average 5.5 – 10m). With animals this si

Scared of sharks? It’s time for a role reversal

Nov 3, 2016

Scared of sharks? It’s time for a role reversal

Many people are afraid of sharks, and this is quite a natural behavior. When we stare across the big blue ocean we don’t know what lurks beneath those waves. It’s a mystery; it’s the unknown – and this scares most of us. Add some sharp shark teeth into the equation and you have all the correct ingredients to breed a fear of sharks. To try and counteract this fear, many people commonly quote statistics that go along the lines of “xyz kills more people than sharks in a year”. I

Chondrichthyans and MPAs

Apr 26, 2016

Chondrichthyans and MPAs

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an important spatial planning tool and we are expecting a few changes in our existing MPA network in South Africa. By now most of us have heard of the South African government’s efforts to establish a network of 22 new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and thereby increasing the coverage from presently 0.5% to 5%. This endeavour is part of the government initiative “Operation Phakisa”, which aims to rapidly unlock the economic potential of South

Acoustic telemetry - a minimal invasive research method ...or is it?

Feb 12, 2016

Acoustic telemetry - a minimal invasive research method ...or is it?

The establishment of marine reserves is an increasingly important planning tool for conservation. To maximize the effectiveness of such protected areas, decision makers need to detect critical habitats for over-exploited species, a task which requires knowledge of their spatial ecology. Tracking an animal on land is a challenge, but in the marine environment, where humans are physically limited in time and space, it seems a virtually impossible task. In the 1980's scientists

A step back for conservation or a step towards fairness for local communities?

Nov 21, 2015

A step back for conservation or a step towards fairness for local communities?

The South African government just released a Gazette concerning the reopening of four zones to recreational angling within the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area. These areas will be so called “Controlled Zones”, within which specific angling rules apply (see further down). Why? The Tsitsikamma MPA is Africa’s oldest marine reserve, which was established in 1964. Since 2000, when the South African Minister of Environmental Affairs declared the State of Emergency for South Afri