The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has nearly doubled the number of Marine Protected Areas in South Africa by adding an additional 20 sites to the list, including the Cape’s Robben Island.
This means that 5.4% of South Africa’s territorial waters are now protected.
Dr Alison Kock, marine biologist for the Cape Research Centre at South African National Parks, explains that the aim of ocean conservation is to protect the goods and services the seas provide and that more than a third of our economy relies on a healthy ocean.
Source: CapeTalk
[http://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/353288/expansion-of-sa-s-mpas-a-move-to-be-celebrated-but-still-a-long-way-to-go](http://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/353288/expansion-of-sa-s-mpas-a-move-to-be-celebrated-but-still-a-long-way-to-go)