Coastal management in South Africa: Historical perspectives and setting the stage of a new era

Abstract

The coastal environment represents a critical interface of human activity, socio-economic influence and ecological diversity. It is estimated that the coastal environment supports some 30% of the world's population and provides a range of social and economic benefits. Use of the coastal environment is ever increasing due to its attractiveness for recreation and leisure actives, holiday homes and retirement. As a result, the coastal environment is constantly under pressure and management actions, policies and legislation need to ensure the protection of this unique environment. South Africa is considered to be the third most biodiverse country in the world, largely linked to coastal and marine diversity with a number of Marine Protected Areas (MPA). This rich biodiversity needs to be carefully managed while also meeting the needs of South Africans with regards to access to coastal and marine resources. To date management of the South African coast has been governed by various statutes and access to the coast and its resources has been affected by historical spatial planning and socio-political conditions. To facilitate a more holistic management the newly promulgated Integrated Coastal Management Act (Act 24 of 2008) is an attempt to better manage coastal resources to protect coastal assets and functionality. The ICM Act is inherently dynamic, attempting to tackle the interlinked problems of coastal development and conservation. However, to ensure implementation, capacity challenges and historical fragmented governance structures need to be addressed. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.