Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area

Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area
Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area
	Agulhas Muds MPA location
Location	East of Cape Agulhas, South Africa
Nearest city	Bredasdorp
Coordinates	34°53.5′S 20°35′E
Area	207 km2
Established	2019

The Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area is an offshore conservation region in the exclusive economic zone of South Africa.

History

Purpose

A marine protected area is defined by the IUCN 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 associated ecosystem services and cultural values".[1]

The MPA is intended to protect critically endangered shallow mud habitats between 80 and 100 m deep.[2]

Extent

The MPA is offshore in the 80 to 100 m depth range about 22 nautical miles east of Cape Agulhas.[3]

Area of protected ocean is 207 km² [2]

Boundaries

The boundaries of the MPA are:[4]

Northern boundary: A S34°50′ E20°30′ to B S34°50′ E20°40′
Eastern boundary: B S34°50′ E20°40′ to C S34°57′ E20°40′
Southern boundary: C S34°57′ E20°40′ to D S34°57′ E20°30′
Western boundary: D S34°57′ E20°30′ to A S34°50′ E20°30′

Zonation

The whole MPA is zoned as a single controlled area.[4]

Management

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).[1]

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for issuing permits, quotas and law enforcement.[5]

Use

Geography

Climate

Seasonal variations in sea conditions

Ecology

Marine ecoregions of the South African Exclusive Economic Zone: Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area is in the Agulhas ecoregion

The MPA is in the warm temperate Agulhas ecoregion to the east of Cape Point which extends eastwards to the Mbashe River. There are a large proportion of species endemic to South Africa along this coastline.[6]

Sedimentary bottoms (including silt, mud, sand, shelly, pebble and gravel bottoms) Sedimentary bottoms at first glance appear to be fairly barren areas, as they lack the stability to support many of the spectacular reef based species, and the variety of large organisms is relatively low. The sand may be moved around by water movement, to a greater or lesser degree depending on weather conditions and exposure of the area. This means that sessile organisms must be specifically adapted to areas of relatively loose substrate to thrive in them, and the variety of species found on a sandy or gravel bottom will depend on all these factors. unconsolidated sedimentary bottoms have one important compensation for their instability, animals can burrow into the sediment and move up and down within its layers, which can provide feeding opportunities and protection from predation. Other species can dig themselves holes in which to shelter, or may feed by filtering water drawn through the tunnel, or by extending body parts adapted to this function into the water above the sand.[7]^:Ch.3

The open sea The pelagic water column is the major part of the living space at sea. This is the water between the surface and the top of the benthic zone, where living organisms swim, float or drift, and the food chain starts with phytoplankton, the mostly microscopic photosynthetic organisms that convert the energy of sunlight into organic material which feeds nearly everything else, directly or indirectly. In temperate seas there are distinct seasonal cycles of phytoplankton growth, based on the available nutrients and the available sunlight. Either can be a limiting factor. Phytoplankton tend to thrive where there is plenty of light, and they themselves are a major factor in restricting light penetration to greater depths, so the photosynthetic zone tends to be shallower in areas of high productivity.[7]^:Ch.6 Zooplankton feed on the phytoplankton, and are in turn eaten by larger animals. The larger pelagic animals are generally faster moving and more mobile, giving them the option of changing depth to feed or to avoid predation, and to move to other places in search of a better food supply.

Marine species diversity

Animals

Seaweeds

Endemism

The MPA is in the warm temperate Agulhas ecoregion to the east of Cape Point which extends eastwards to the Mbashe River. There are a large proportion of species endemic to South Africa along this coastline.[6]

Alien invasive species

Threats

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References

"Marine Protected Areas". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
"Agulhas Muds MPA". www.marineprotectedareas.org.za. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
"Robberg Marine Protected Area". www.mpatlas.org. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
"R111 Draft Regulations for the management of the Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area" (PDF). Regulation Gazette No. 10553. Pretoria: Government Printer. 608 (39646). 3 February 2016.
"Marine Protected Area". Retrieved 26 May 2018.
Sink, K.; Harris, J.; Lombard, A. (October 2004). Appendix 1. South African marine bioregions (PDF). South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Technical Report Vol. 4 Marine Component DRAFT (Report). pp. 97–109.
Branch, G.M.; Branch, M.L. (1985). The Living Shores of Southern Africa (3rd impression ed.). Cape Town: C. Struik. ISBN 0 86977 115 9.

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[WWF-1] "Marine Protected Areas". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 24 May 2018.

[Agulhas_Muds_MPA-2] "Agulhas Muds MPA". www.marineprotectedareas.org.za. Retrieved 10 February 2019.

[MPAtlas-3] "Robberg Marine Protected Area". www.mpatlas.org. Retrieved 8 February 2018.

[Gazette_39646_AM-4] "R111 Draft Regulations for the management of the Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area" (PDF). Regulation Gazette No. 10553. Pretoria: Government Printer. 608 (39646). 3 February 2016.

[SANParks-5] "Marine Protected Area". Retrieved 26 May 2018.

[Sink_et_al_2004-6] Sink, K.; Harris, J.; Lombard, A. (October 2004). Appendix 1. South African marine bioregions (PDF). South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Technical Report Vol. 4 Marine Component DRAFT (Report). pp. 97–109.

[Branch_1985-7] Branch, G.M.; Branch, M.L. (1985). The Living Shores of Southern Africa (3rd impression ed.). Cape Town: C. Struik. ISBN 0 86977 115 9.

Marine protected areas of South Africa
Coastal MPAs	Addo Elephant National Park Marine Protected Area Betty's Bay Marine Protected Area Bird Island Marine Protected Area De Hoop Marine Protected Area Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area Goukamma Marine Protected Area Helderberg Marine Protected Area Hluleka Marine Protected Area iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area Jutten Island Marine Protected Area Langebaan Lagoon Marine Protected Area Malgas Island Marine Protected Area Marcus Island Marine Protected Area Namaqua National Park Marine Protected Area Pondoland Marine Protected Area Robben Island Marine Protected Area Robberg Marine Protected Area Sardinia Bay Marine Protected Area Sixteen Mile Beach Marine Protected Area Stilbaai Marine Protected Area Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area Trafalgar Marine Protected Area Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area uThukela Banks Marine Protected Area Walker Bay Whale Sanctuary
Offshore MPAs	Agulhas Bank Complex Marine Protected Area Agulhas Front Marine Protected Area Agulhas Muds Marine Protected Area Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area Amathole Offshore Marine Protected Area Benguela Bank Marine Protected Area Benguela Muds Marine Protected Area Browns Bank Complex Marine Protected Area Browns Bank Corals Marine Protected Area Cape Canyon Marine Protected Area Childs Bank Marine Protected Area iSimangaliso Offshore Marine Protected Area Namaqua Fossil Forest Marine Protected Area Orange Shelf Edge Marine Protected Area Prince Edward Islands Marine Protected Area Protea Banks Marine Protected Area Southeast Atlantic Seamounts Marine Protected Area Southwest Indian Seamounts Marine Protected Area Port Elizabeth Corals Marine Protected Area uThukela Banks Marine Protected Area
Management organisations	CapeNature City of Cape Town Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Department of Environmental Affairs Department of Science and Technology Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality South African National Parks
Research organisations	Council for Geoscience iNaturalist Iziko South African Museum National Research Foundation Nelson Mandela University Oceanographic Research Institute Rhodes University South African Association for Marine Biological Research South African Environmental Observation Network South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity South African National Biodiversity Institute University of KwaZulu-Natal University of Cape Town
Key people	Kerry Sink
MPA species lists	List of marine animals of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay List of seaweeds of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay
Related	African Coelacanth Ecosystem Program Biodiversity of South Africa Marine biodiversity of South Africa Environmental impact of recreational diving Low impact diving International Union for Conservation of Nature Marine ecoregions of the South African exclusive economic zone Marine protected area Marine Living Resources Act, 18 of 1998 National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 10 of 2004 National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act, 24 of 2008 National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 57 of 2003 Protected areas of South Africa Scuba diving tourism SeaKeys World Wide Fund for Nature
Categories: Marine protected areas of South Africa Commons Index Outline

Marine biodiversity of South Africa
National species lists	List of comb jellies of South Africa List of echinoderms of South Africa List of marine and coastal birds of South Africa List of marine bristleworms of South Africa List of marine bryozoans of South Africa List of marine cnidarians of South Africa List of marine crustaceans of South Africa List of sea spiders of South Africa List of marine fishes of South Africa List of marine bony fishes of South Africa List of marine spiny-finned fishes of South Africa List of marine Perciform fishes of South Africa List of marine fishes of the suborder Percoidei of South Africa List of marine flatworms of South Africa List of marine mammals of South Africa List of marine molluscs of South Africa List of marine gastropods of South Africa List of marine heterobranch gastropods of South Africa List of marine reptiles of South Africa List of seaweeds of South Africa List of red seaweeds of South Africa List of sponges of South Africa
Regional and MPA species lists	List of marine animals of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay List of seaweeds of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay
Research	National Biodiversity Assessment Reef Atlas Project SeaKeys South African Environmental Observation Network South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity South African National Biodiversity Institute
Citizen science databases	iNaturalist iSpot FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology Virtual Museum
Researchers	Kerry Sink
Taxonomists	Robert Anderson J. L. Barnard K. H. Barnard John J. Bolton George M. Branch Jennifer Day (biologist) Wayne Florence Terrence Gosliner Charles L. Griffiths P. Heemstra Brian Kensley N. A. H. Millard H. Milne-Edwards T. Samaai J. L. B. Smith H. Stegenga
Related	African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme Marine ecoregions of the South African exclusive economic zone Marine protected areas of South Africa South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity South African National Biodiversity Institute South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative
Categories: Marine biodiversity of South Africa Commons