MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

South Africa has legislated 42 marine protected areas (MPAs) covering approximately 5% of its exclusive economic zone to protect high marine biodiversity and endemism. These areas are managed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and its partners through three zoning types: restricted, controlled-use, and multiple-use. MPAs provide critical ecosystem services, including the 'spillover effect' for fish stocks and enhanced climate resilience. South Africa is currently working toward the '30x30' target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to protect 30% of the Earth by 2030.

• South Africa has 42 legislated marine protected areas (MPAs) that cover roughly 5% of the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
• MPAs are categorized into three types based on the level of permitted human activity: restricted zones where all extraction is prohibited, controlled-use zones with strict sustainability regulations, and multiple-use zones allowing sustainable fishing, tourism, and recreation.
• The Prince Edward Islands MPA is the largest in South Africa at 180,000 km2, ranking among the top 100 largest MPAs globally, while the Tsitsikamma MPA is the oldest, established in 1964.
• MPAs contribute to climate resilience by protecting habitats and increasing connectivity between areas, which mitigates climate change impacts and supports the 'spillover effect' for fish populations.
• South Africa is aligning with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) '30x30' target, which aims to protect 30% of the Earth by 2030 to prevent biodiversity loss and increase planetary resilience to climate change.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). MARINE PROTECTED AREAS. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_fact-sheet_mpas_web_v3.pdf

Chicago

WWF South Africa. MARINE PROTECTED AREAS. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_fact-sheet_mpas_web_v3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=MARINE PROTECTED AREAS |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_fact-sheet_mpas_web_v3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandmarine, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{MARINE PROTECTED AREAS}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_fact-sheet_mpas_web_v3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }