April 2013. South Africa 's
Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Mrs B. Molewa, has declared the Prince Edward
Islands as a Marine
Protected Area (MPA). The new Prince Edward Islands MPA, the first South
African offshore MPA, will serve to significantly contribute to global
initiatives towards protection of offshore and deep ocean areas.
The marine biodiversity of thePrince
Edward Islands
is of global importance. The islands are home to a suite of spectacular marine
wildlife, including albatrosses, penguins, killer whales and Patagonian
toothfish stocks. Unfortunately this wildlife has been threatened by illegal
and unsustainable fishing practices in the past, resulting in significant
economic and ecological losses to South Africa .
The marine biodiversity of the
The islands,
which consist of Prince Edward and Marion
Islands , are located almost 2,000
kilometres south of South
Africa in the Southern Ocean.
2000
kilometres south of South Africa
The islands, which consist of Prince Edward and Marion Islands, are located almost 2,000 kilometres south of South Africa in the Southern Ocean, and form an important global biodiversity hotspot, which was subject to rampant poaching during the late 1990s. Patagonian Toothfish otherwise known as Chilean Seabass (in northern markets) was poached around the islands and this was part of a wider phenomenon across the Southern Ocean and Antarctic waters.
The islands, which consist of Prince Edward and Marion Islands, are located almost 2,000 kilometres south of South Africa in the Southern Ocean, and form an important global biodiversity hotspot, which was subject to rampant poaching during the late 1990s. Patagonian Toothfish otherwise known as Chilean Seabass (in northern markets) was poached around the islands and this was part of a wider phenomenon across the Southern Ocean and Antarctic waters.
At 180,000km2,
approximately the combined size of the Free State Province, Lesotho and Swaziland ,
the MPA is one of the world's largest.
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