The Saint Blaize Conservancy have started a reef monitoring project and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of specialist equipment, which will enable them to do accurate water testing, in addition to recording the numbers and varieties of species of marine fauna inhabiting Mossel Bay's reefs.
"Everyone involved is extremely grateful to the Garden Route Casino Community Trust for their support - this equipment will be invaluable to the success of the reef monitoring project," says Karen Claxton of the St Blaize Conservancy.
Garden Route Casino Community Trust granted their request for funding for the necessary equipment. It also funded the Environmental Education Course (a SETA recognised course, presented by Delta Environmental Centre) which some of the members of the St Blaize Conservancy completed, and which led to the members identifying the need to monitor local reefs.
"From this enlightening course came the realisation that there is an urgent need to conduct regular and sustained monitoring of our local reefs in order to evaluate their overall condition and to be able to identify any potential threats to them as quickly as possible. A healthy and balanced marine environment is of utmost importance both in environmental, social and economic terms," says Karen.
As custodians of the St Blaize Conservancy, Cape Nature Conservation were approached, through Natalie Baker, in order to extend the boundaries of the Conservancy to include the five different reefs needing to be included in the project.
"Natalie commented that this was the first such monitoring idea she had heard about and was very excited about its potential."
Work has started on building up a network of interested individuals and groups, including local divers and dive operators, fishermen, sailors and kayakers who are keen to get involved.
Mossel Bay Yacht and Boat Club is serving as the base for this initiative and many of its members are already committed to the project, according to Mike Keet, who is also part of the St Blaize Conservancy.
The plan is, among other things, to record numbers and varieties of various species of marine fauna, including apex fish, sea squirts and corals.
Work is beginning on establishing two sites on Santos Reef as a start and once the water testing equipment arrives in about six weeks' time, monitoring will begin. Future work will include creating identification charts for divers, training of divers in monitoring techniques and collation of all the information collected.
"The St Blaize Conservancy would like to extend an invitation to all interested individuals or groups to join this project.
Divers are particularly encouraged to get involved. This is a wonderful opportunity for the community to become involved in helping protect our reefs for future generations," says Karen.
They are also hoping to involve divers from as far as George and Knysna, and hope that this wonderful initiative will rub off on other coastal communities, to achieve a better understanding - and appreciation - for all the reefs along the South African coastline.
For further details, please contact Mike Keet on 083 578 7530 or Karen Claxton on 071 554 5587, Rhenia Niemand on 083 324 3875 or Eddie Kroed on 082 895 9796.
St Blaize Conservancy Committee members: Dani Smit, Karen Claxton, Mike Keet, Rhenia Niemand and Lucretia van der Walt.
ARTICLE: MARI SCOTT, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER JOURNALIST
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