First Nambian Island Marine Protected Areas launched

DEPUTY Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Kilus Nguvauva, last week officially launched Namibia’s first Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA) at the coastal town of Lüderitz.

The proclaimed protected area encompasses almost one million hectares of marine and sea area, with 10 small islands and eight islets or rock outcroppings providing sanctuary to an astonishing variety of marine and bird life.
The Namibian Islands MPA was established to help maintain essential ecological and life support systems, to ensure sustainable utilisation of species and ecosystems and to preserve bio-diversity.
Nguvauva said it was anticipated that the MPA would draw attention to the local town and community of Lüderitz, especially in the face of changing economic and environmental climates.
‘We look forward to more pro-active proclamations and protected area management, especially under the auspices of the Benguela Current Commission (BCC),’ Nguvauva said.
The Deputy Minister said that the proclamation illustrated Namibia’s serious commitment to international environmental treaties, as well as international law.
Namibian Coastal Conservation and Management Project (Nacoma) Project Co-ordinator, Rod Braby, said the project was initiated by Government and co-funded by the Global Environment Facility.
He said the project was spearheaded by Nacoma to address key challenges facing Government with the management of the Namibian coast.
Braby said Nacoma would assist and strengthen Government’s Coastodian campaign by raising awareness and encouraging responsibility.
‘The raised awareness will help further strenghten the conservation and wise, sustainable use of our coastal resources,’ Braby said.
Braby said the areas being proclaimed would mean that Namibia had the largest connected protected area network in Africa, and would be the only continental country in the world that has its entire coastline protected.
‘The proposed name for this protected area is the Namib Skeleton Coast National Park that will be a significant marketing tool for tourism in Namibia,’ Braby added.
Also speaking at the event, Peter Chadwick of the World Wildlife Fund and the Honda Marine Parks Programme, said there was global realisation that oceans were no longer boundless sources to be plundered at will.
‘Seventy-five per cent of the world’s fish stocks are either partially or fully over exploited with up to 30 per cent of the world’s fish catches being wasted and discarded back into the sea,’ said Chadwick.
It was no longer about protecting ‘nemo’, but about ensuring food security, Chadwick said.
luqman@namibian.com.na