Coast needs urgent protection

THE Coastal Environmental Trust of Namibia feels that the coast between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund is in need of urgent protection from any further development.

The limited rocky coastline in this area that has not already been damaged requires prompt protection. This section of coast has a particularly rich bird population, both in terms of species and numbers and is an important Bird Area recognised both nationally and internationally.It has the highest linear count of birds of any shoreline in southern Africa.Eleven of these species are considered national or internationally threatened, and are listed in international and national Red Data Books.The numbers of many bird species are declining because of a loss of habitat and disturbance.One of Namibia’s Palaearctic birds, the Red Knot, disappeared from the Walvis Bay lagoon five years ago, primarily due to disturbance.They still occur along the rocky shoreline at Dolphin Park and at Danger Point, but their long-term survival will depend on the level of protection that we can give to this habitat.Depending on the severity of population declines, the status of different species is categorised as follows: Regionally Extinct – no individuals or breeding individuals known Critically Endangered – a species with a 50 per cent chance of going extinct in five years Endangered – a species with a 20 per cent chance of going extinct in 20 years Vulnerable – a species with a 10 per cent chance of going extinct in 100 years Near-threatened – a species that does not quite meet the criteria for inclusion into any category but which is likely to enter the Vulnerable category in the near future Secure – a species that is not under any significant threat The list right shows the level of threat at the Global and National levels faced by threatened coastal species occurring in Namibia as per their Red Data classification.What, if anything, is in place to protect these coastal birds? The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources is doing a sterling job, in conjunction with South Africa and Angola through the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme, in trying to protect the sea birds, such as the Albatrosses and Petrels, as well as turtles, whales, dolphin and sharks.Is it not time for the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to be proactive in protecting our coastal birds, especially those that are on the Red Data list? How long will they be seen in Namibia at all, with all these negative developments being promoted along our coast? Can we continue to allow destructive developments along our beaches, which are only of benefit to a few, while destroying plants endemic to Namibia with all their animal life? What effect will all this development have on our sea life? Our rocky shoreline, we know, harbours the larvae of both sole and mullet during our summer months; perhaps it is also a feeding ground for hake larvae as well? Are we destroying them? Money, of course is the name of the game, and the only person to gain is the developer! What is going to happen with the advent of global warming? Who will pay for the protection of these developments on our coastline? Should they not have been built above the road? The Namibian Coast and Conservation Management Project (Nacoma) should be allowed to finish their strategic environmental assessment of the coast before any further developments are planned or allowed.Any future projects should be put on hold until the strategic assessment has been completed.Developing within a sound strategic framework is beneficial to us all – ecologically and economically – and especially to future generations, who have to inherit our wise or careless developments.At the moment, the pendulum is clearly swinging on the careless side.However, we have it in our power to swing the pendulum across to the wise side, simply by working together, developing strategic approaches and setting appropriate standards of which we can be proud.Global listing from Birdlife International (2004).Species Global Namibia African Black Oystercatcher Near Threatened Near Threatened African Penguin Vulnerable Endangered Bank Cormorant Vulnerable Endangered Cape Gannet Vulnerable Endangered Crowned Cormorant Near Threatened Near Threatened Greater Flamingo None Vulnerable Great White Pelican None Vulnerable Hartlaub’s Gull None Vulnerable Lesser Flamingo Near Threatened Vulnerable Black-necked Grebe None Near Threatened Chestnut-banded Plover None Near Threatened Damara Tern Near Threatened Near ThreatenedThis section of coast has a particularly rich bird population, both in terms of species and numbers and is an important Bird Area recognised both nationally and internationally.It has the highest linear count of birds of any shoreline in southern Africa.Eleven of these species are considered national or internationally threatened, and are listed in international and national Red Data Books.The numbers of many bird species are declining because of a loss of habitat and disturbance.One of Namibia’s Palaearctic birds, the Red Knot, disappeared from the Walvis Bay lagoon five years ago, primarily due to disturbance.They still occur along the rocky shoreline at Dolphin Park and at Danger Point, but their long-term survival will depend on the level of protection that we can give to this habitat.Depending on the severity of population declines, the status of different species is categorised as follows: Regionally Extinct – no individuals or breeding individuals known Critically Endangered – a species with a 50 per cent chance of going extinct in five years Endangered – a species with a 20 per cent chance of going extinct in 20 years Vulnerable – a species with a 10 per cent chance of going extinct in 100 years Near-threatened – a species that does not quite meet the criteria for inclusion into any category but which is likely to enter the Vulnerable category in the near future Secure – a species that is not under any significant threat The list right shows the level of threat at the Global and National levels faced by threatened coastal species occurring in Namibia as per their Red Data classification.What, if anything, is in place to protect these coastal birds? The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources is doing a sterling job, in conjunction with South Africa and Angola through the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme, in trying to protect the sea birds, such as the Albatrosses and Petrels, as well as turtles, whales, dolphin and sharks.Is it not time for the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to be proactive in protecting our coastal birds, especially those that are on the Red Data list? How long will they be seen in Namibia at all, with all these negative developments being promoted along our coast? Can we continue to allow destructive developments along our beaches, which are only of benefit to a few, while destroying plants endemic to Namibia with all their animal life? What effect will all this development have on our sea life? Our rocky shoreline, we know, harbours the larvae of both sole and mullet during our summer months; perhaps it is also a feeding ground for hake larvae as well? Are we destroying them? Money, of course is the name of the game, and the only person to gain is the developer! What is going to happen with the advent of global warming? Who will pay for the protection of these developments on our coastline? Should they not have been built above the road? The Namibian Coast and Conservation Management Project (Nacoma) should be allowed to finish their strategic environmental assessment of the coast before any further developments are planned or allowed.Any future projects should be put on hold until the strategic assessment has been completed.Developing within a sound strategic framework is beneficial to us all – ecologically and economically – and especially to future generations, who have to inherit our wise or careless developments.At the moment, the pendulum is clearly swinging on the careless side.However, we have it in our power to swing the pendulum across to the wise side, simply by working together, developing strategic approaches and setting appropriate standards of which we can be proud.Global listing from Birdlife International (2004).Species Global Namibia African Black Oystercatcher Near Threatened Near Threatened African Penguin Vulnerable Endangered Bank Cormorant Vulnerable Endangered Cape Gannet Vulnerable Endangered Crowned Cormorant Near Threatened Near Threatened Greater Flamingo None Vulnerable Great White Pelican None Vulnerable Hartlaub’s Gull None Vulnerable Lesser Flamingo Near Threatened Vulnerable Black-necked Grebe None Near Threatened Chestnut-banded Plover None Near Threatened Damara Tern Near Threatened Near Threatened