1. Introduction The workshop was held at the Town Hall in Kenton-on-Sea with 30 participants.

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1 Coastal Management Programme for the Sarah Baartman District Municipality (SBDM) Report on an Introductory Workshop held at Kenton-on-Sea, 09h00 to 12h30 Venue: Kenton Town Hall 25 May Introduction The workshop was held at the Town Hall in Kenton-on-Sea with 30 participants. This report captures the items that were listed on flipcharts, both in plenary and reporting from small group discussions. It also reflects some of the notes that were taken by scribes for the small groups, and facilitator notes. After introductions and the presentation on the process toward the development of the coastal management programme for SBDM, the workshop moved into participatory mode. Developing a vision for the CMPr is integral to the process. It starts with understanding the space, and then explores the underlying values and qualities that residents hold dear. 2. What makes this space special? This activity was aimed at immersing participants into the space, reflecting on why we live in the area and what makes it special. The following were the responses: Quality of life and good lifestyle away from sky scrapers and big city mentality Rich biological and people diversity Limited development footprint constrained by rivers Area is exquisitely beautiful Beach walks feeling of seclusion Green all year round Nature reserve in town integration with nature Reasonably unspoilt and unpolluted environment Love for the sea Experience the advantages of living in a rural area, but cities and amenities are easily accessible Rich cultural history unique (last million years) History of area richness of human experience Spiritual heritage 3. What are our Values that define our living in this coastal environment? Distilling out from the space, the workshop focused on the values attached to residing in this coastal space; values that contribute to the development of the vision. Good healthy environment Sense of belonging / sense of place Love of nature Biodiversity conservation Natural environment is rich in resources (but not limited) value of independence in harvesting food from natural environment / can forage for own food 1

2 Cohesive and protective community that stands together proud/jealous of their environment sense of custodianship Family environment good place for children to grow up Humility and respect for environment 4. Our Vision for our coast includes the following: Integral to the process, is the development of a 10 year vision for the coast. Participants were asked to populate a map of the area using symbols, notes, images etc. Photographs were taken of the maps, and a summary of notes (either written or by means of symbols/images) is given below. These can be viewed as a wishlist for the area, and can be used in conjunction with values to establish a vision and also to set priorities for the programme from a community perspective. 2

3 After putting ourselves into the space and determining our values, the group added images to the map of the area with the following comments: Skills development Education and inspiration, particularly regarding pollution and plastic Marine guides Water abstraction from dunefields better regulated Reduce reverse osmosis outflow on beach Aquaculture development Public clean up days Closed fishing areas properly policed Limit light pollution from homes and street lights Maintain buffer zone around SANParks area near Canon Rocks No illegal fishing Waste management and recycling Preserve water Remain as is Limit building on primary dunes More fish than plastic in the sea No high storey / high density buildings / areas at the coastline avoid Durban / Cape Town scenario Rebuild bridges over rivers to allow proper flow Design houses in harmony with habitat Retain open spaces Preserve natural resources Protect the Kenton Nature Reserve and its flora and fauna Create wealth, and use it to preserve the environment consider Mauritius and Seychelles model for funds generation 3

4 Pollution prevention No poaching Remove dams on the Bushmans and Kariega Rivers to restore natural flows to the estuaries Prepare for major urban development Establishment of environmental monitoring committees (public participation) Considering the above, participants highlighted the following items to be considered in a Vision for the area: Train local communities to be marine rangers/guides Create resilient, integrated communities Implement buffer zones around national parks land Well planned development and appropriate land use that considers risk An educated community all people, especially around pollution issues Waste management and recycling A catchment management approach must be taken Proper water resource management Controlled access to promote tourism and recreational use of the coastal zone without compromising the environment Recovery of fish stocks: Fish stocks are critically declining. Law enforcement and legislation is ineffective, especially with regards to recreational and subsistence fishermen. Set aside no take areas in the upper half of the Bushmans, Kariega, Kowie and Great Fish Rivers to allow stocks to recover. Managed natural resource use harvesting No poaching, especially focus on outsiders Socio-economic upliftment aquaculture and tourism opportunities Functioning estuaries (with regards to mouth status, flow requirements, sediment dynamics etc.) Co-ordination: legislation, implementation, communication Law enforcement Capacity to manage environmental aspects Need national support Balanced development that discards negative elements Design of infrastructure that allows estuaries to function and considers hydrodynamics (e.g. bridges and dams) Accumulation of funds for environmental protection 5. Themes: Trying to distill these into key themes, we proposed: Preserve natural and heritage resources Holistic and integrated environmental management Clean environment Socio-economic upliftment Resilient, informed community Well planned, risk averse development 4

5 6. Strengths and Opportunities Having in mind the broad vision for our coastline, the workshop progressed to interrogating current issues; addressing the strengths and opportunities the coast may hold towards attaining the vision; and identifying some of the weaknesses and threats that may hinder its progress. This was done in small groups, providing the space for all participants to have their say. Good legislation available Good human resources in area: * * * * o Aged and experienced o Diverse o Eager youth Low pressure from relatively small population Small environmental footprint (limited coastal development) Opportunities to invest in responsible tourism * Good birdlife Cultural heritage resources Blue Flag beaches - make this known! Tourism potential * * * * Keen to protect endangered species * * * Good fishing opportunities * Malaria-free area Relatively safe Nature reserve in town centre Education possibilities: job creation and skills development * Local reserves ready to assist e.g. Kariega, Sibuya Full community participation and integration * * No direct sewage discharge to the sea * Community participation in estuary management Development of exclusion zones in estuary Good sea water quality at swimming beaches, with monitoring results to prove this * * * * * The power of Good news stories 7. Weaknesses / Challenges / Risks and Threats These are the issues that threaten our coastline Offshore fishing/poaching lack of control Waste: inaccessible landfill / disposal sites * Ineffective IDP process Climate change: storm surges, sea level rise impact on coastal infrastructure and properties Inability to monitor by law enforcement * * * Finance for infrastructure / capital projects budget constraints and mismanagement * * Limited beach access (e.g. Canon Rocks) 5

6 o Deters tourism o Congestion during peak season Moving sand dunes impact on infrastructure and access Historical development of property below the floodline how do we manage these areas? * Environmental management not a priority for the Local Municipality o Impacts on natural resources o Insufficient environmental offices o Leads to: Environmental degradation Poor tourism Fewer jobs Drop in property prices Within Ndlambe, there is only the presence of the local municipality to enforce by laws. No other officials in close proximity to implement other laws. Makes enforcement difficult Exploitation of heritage sites and middens Light pollution (e.g. Canon Rocks houses on dunes) * Noise pollution Outside interference i.e. activities outside the coastal zone but within the catchment impact on coastal zone management (e.g. dams, waste) Re-inventing the wheel with multitude of plans, but little implementation Specificity of by-laws Lack of political will * No follow through * Blanket legislation not always applicable to what is happening on the ground * Delays in implementing maintenance actions as a result of the administrative / bureaucratic process Freshwater supply quantity and quality 8. Recommendations Whilst there are many recommendations embedded in the sections on strengths and risks, the following specific recommendations were made: 1. Need a champion with a committee for implementing recommendations of the CMPr, and sourcing the required finances * * * * * * * * * a. Establish a municipal coastal committee with roles and responsibilities b. Incorporate different spheres of government to give effect to implementation of full set of laws 2. Establish a communication strategy go continue the dialogue * * 3. Bring in marine rangers * * 4. Identify cultural heritage sites 5. Pollution management, especially of river. Include light and noise pollution * * * * * * * 6. Need to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the CMPr during and at the end of the 5 year phase * 6

7 7. Encourage water harvesting to reduce reliance on rivers 8. Local municipality to give priority to implementing the CMPr, and must communicate where support is needed from the private sector 9. An effective IDP process * * 10. Enforcement of legislation * * * * 11. Community involvement and education 12. Signage and information boards highlight biological and cultural important areas 13. Responsible tourism 14. Dune management with recognition of ecological processes and natural systems * * * * * * * 15. Improved waste management and recycling facilities * * * 16. Encourage estuary management by creating a Green Estuary Index (similar to Blue Flag beaches). Use the existing Estuarine Fish Community Index as a mechanism to monitor estuarine health * * * * * * * 9. Way Forward Workshop notes will be written up and sent to all participants. The first draft of the CMPr will be compiled. Once a first draft is ready, it will be sent to participants and a second round of consultations will be held. The time frame for a first draft is the end of Workshop ended at 12h40 Report 1 June