South Africa's Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area – winners and losers
Lombard, A.T.; Durbach, I.; Harris, J.M.; Mann-Lang, J.; Mann, B.Q.; Branch, G.M.; Attwood, C.G. (2020). South Africa's Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area – winners and losers, in: Humphreys, J. et al. Marine protected areas: Science, policy and management. pp. 237-270. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-102698-4.00013-7
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| Keywords |
Pisces [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
Evidence-based decision-making; Multi-criteria decision analysis; Wicked problem; Science-policy interface; Public participation process; Stakeholder consultation; Conservation; Threatened fish |
| Authors | | Top |
- Lombard, A.T.
- Durbach, I.
- Harris, J.M.
- Mann-Lang, J.
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- Mann, B.Q.
- Branch, G.M.
- Attwood, C.G.
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| Abstract |
Tsitsikamma National Park on the southern coast of South Africa was proclaimed in 1964, making the marine part of the Park Africa's oldest marine protected area. In 2000 the entire marine area was designated as ‘no-take’ with extractive harvesting of resources prohibited. This conservation measure, which was aimed primarily at providing a refuge for highly threatened linefish species and recovery of adjacent fisheries through spill-over effects, has been challenged over the years by local anglers. A government decision in 2016 to lift this restriction for shore-angling along 20% of the coastline met significant public and scientific opposition. We explored the different objectives at play (conservation, economic, social and political) and the rationality of this decision using statistical and decision analytic tools that evaluated the decision and alternative options, and their consequences, for each of the objectives. The decision taken performed poorly against many other rational decision options available to government, and resulted in lose-lose outcomes, rather than achievable win-win outcomes. |
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