| Prince Edward Island Marine Protected Area | |
|---|---|
 Prince Edward Island MPA location | |
| Location | Prince Edward Island,South Africa |
| Coordinates | 46°43.5′S37°53.5′E / 46.7250°S 37.8917°E /-46.7250; 37.8917 |
| Area | 181,229.46 km2 (69,973.09 sq mi) |
| Established | 2013 |
ThePrince Edward Island Marine Protected Area is an offshore conservation region near thePrince Edward Islands in theexclusive economic zone ofSouth Africa, nearly 2,000 km southeast of South Africa in the Indian Ocean. The MPA provides habitat for seals, killer whales, breeding seabirds andPatagonian toothfish.[1]
The Prince Edward Islands have been managed as a special nature reserve since November 1995, but there was originally no marine component. The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT),Martinus van Schalkwyk, announced South Africa's intention to declare a large MPA around the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands in June 2004. This was followed by consultation between DEAT and WWF to guide the implementation of this MPA. The result was a compromise between conservation and commercial fishing interests based on the available information.[2]The Minister of Water and Environmental AffairsBomo Edith Edna Molewa, declared a Marine Protected Area in the waters surrounding thePrince Edward Islands by Government Notice 426 in Government Gazette 36575, dated 21 June 2013.[3][4]
A marine protected area is defined by theIUCN as "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associatedecosystem services and cultural values".[5]
The Prince Edward Islands MPA is intended to stop the decline of thePatagonian toothfish, which has been critically over-exploited, and to reduce the seabird bycatch of the fishery, particularly of albatrosses and petrels.[2]
The MPA protects 181,229.46 km2 (69,973.09 sq mi) of sea in the EEZ around the Prince Edward Islands.[6]
The Prince Edward Islands MPA is the area of sea enclosed by a polygon of borders lines sequentially joining the points from S43°34′, E34°56′, straight to S44°10′, E35°35′, straight to S45°06′, E36°36′, straight to S46°06′, E37°42′, straight to S46°06′, E38°44′, straight to S44°50′, E42°27′, along the boundary of the EEZ to S45°46′, E°42′53, along the boundary of the EEZ to S48°42′, E43°02′, straight to S46°42′, E41°48′, straight to S47°57′, E38°07′, straight to S49°20′, E38°36′, straight to S50°14′, E35°36′, along the boundary of the EEZ to S49°16′, E34°03′, straight to S48°02′, E35°25′, straight to S47°03′, E36°31′, straight to S46°12′, E35°36′, straight to S45°16′, E34°35′, straight to S44°30′, E33°44′ and back along the boundary of the EEZ to S43°34′, E34°56′.[4]
The MPA comprises a sanctuary zone, four restricted zones, and a controlled zone, linking the restricted zones.[3]
The sanctuary zone extends 12 nautical miles offshore from the high water mark. It is inside the Prince Edward Islands restricted zone.[2]
Southwest Indian Ridge restricted area:[2]
Prince Edward Islands restricted area:[2]
Africana II Rise restricted area:[2]
Abyss restricted area:[2]
The controlled zone is remainder of the MPA outside of the restricted areas.[2]
The marine protected areas of South Africa are the responsibility of the national government, which has management agreements with a variety of MPA management authorities, which manage the MPAs with funding from the SA Government through the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).[5]
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for issuing permits, quotas and law enforcement.[7]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
Marine mammals:[3]
Marine birds:[3]
Fish:[3]
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(February 2019) |
| This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(January 2019) |
Marine resources of the MPA have been threatened by illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing for Patagonian toothfishDissostichus eleginoides. Longline fishing also has an impact on seabirds which get snagged while lines are being set.
There are no slipways or harbors in or near the MPA.
