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afrol News, 15 April - As the threats to the marine ecosystem off the South African, Angolan and Namibian coasts are enhanced, new efforts are been introduced to save the fragile ecosystem. The local threats include habitat loss and pollution, increasing exploitation of straddling fish stocks, and the introduction of invasive species, including algae, from ship ballast water. The governments of Angola, Namibia and South Africa have now joined forces in a US$ 38.7 million initiative to fight habitat loss, contain pollution and protect fauna in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, which also can preserve vital economic resources. The UN developmental agency, UNDP, and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) also participate in the project. - By linking environmental protection with sustainable development, this project is an outstanding example of the kind of initiative that needs to be showcased in Johannesburg at the World Summit for Sustainable Development, said Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator of UNDP in a press release today. A 'Johannesburg Plan of Action' will be rolled out and endorsed at the summit, which will be held from 26 August to 4 September in Johannesburg, South Africa. Speaking on behalf of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region, Dr. Abraham Iyambo, the Minister for Fisheries of Namibia recently emphasised the importance of a strategic partnership for long-term sustainable development in the region. He has pointed out that the project would serve as a prototype for other regional activities identified by SADC countries. According to Nikhil Sekhran, UNDP-GEF coordinator in South Africa, this project is expected to yield significant domestic and regional benefits by protecting fisheries and other natural resources. Fisheries are a sector of growing economic importance in the region. The UN agencies point out that the Benguela Current marine ecosystem is "one of the world’s most productive marine environments, supporting large numbers of fish species, sea birds and marine mammals." The Benguela Current runs parallel to the coastline of southwest Africa - from the Cape of Good Hope to northern Angola. The main species harvested are mackerel, tuna and crab, hake and pilchard, sardines, shrimps and seabreams, lobster, and anchovy. The fishing industry - accounting for 10 percent of the Namibian GDP, 4 percent in Angola, and 0.4 percent in South Africa - has become an economic mainstay providing an important source of livelihoods in the region. It is also a growing export industry, providing much-needed foreign exchange. According to an analysis, the primary threats to the Benguela Current marine ecosystem "include habitat loss and pollution, increasing exploitation of straddling fish stocks, and the introduction of invasive species, including algae, from ship ballast water." Oil and gas exploration and production, and mining need to be undertaken in an environmentally safe context to minimise pollution threats. The UN agencies do not specify in which way the new funds are going to be spent and if a regional maritime environment management regime is to be established.
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