- AIS Aquatic Invasive Species
- AMSOL African Marine Solutions (Pty) Ltd
- BA Basic Assessment
- BAR Basic Assessment Report
- BLSMS Boat Launch Site Monitoring System
- CE IUCN Vulnerability Assessment - Critically Endangered
- CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
- CME Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement
- CML Coastal Management Line
- CMP Coastal Management Programme
- COGTA KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
- CPP Coastal Public Property
- CPZ Coastal Protection Zone
- CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
- CVI Coastal Vulnerability Index
- CWDP Coastal Waters Discharge Permit
- DAFF South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries
- DEA South African Department of Environmental Affairs
- DEDEAT (EC) Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism
- DFFE South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
- DM District Municipality
- DMR South African Department of Mineral Resources
- DPW South African Department of Public Works
- DWS South African Department of Water and Sanitation
- EDTEA (KZN) Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs
- EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
- EFZ Estuarine Functional Zone
- EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
- Ekzn Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
- EMI Environmental Management Inspectorate
- EMP Environmental Management Plan or Estuarine Management Plan
- EN IUCN Vulnerability Assessment - Endangered
- EOP (KZN) Estuary Observer Programme
- EWR Ecological Water Requirements
- FEE Foundation for Environmental Education
- FIMs Floating Invasive Macrophyte Species
- GDP Gross Domestic Product
- GIS Geographical Information System
- HWM High Water Mark
- I&AP Interested and Affected Party
- ICM Integrated Coastal Management
- IDMP Integrated Development Management Plan
- IDP Integrated Development Plan
- IMP Integrated Management Plan
- ITOPF International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited
- KZN KwaZulu-Natal
- LM Local Municipality
- LUMP Land Use Management Plan
- MCC Municipal Coastal Committee
- MEC Member of the Executive Council
- MLRA Marine Living Resources Act
- MMP Mouth Management Plan
- MPA Marine Protected Area
- NBF National Biodiversity Framework
- NCC National Coastal Committee
- NCMP National Coastal Management Programme
- NECER National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report
- NEMA National Environmental Management Act
- NEMPAA National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act
- NGO Non-Governmental Organization
- NPB Natal Parks board (now Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife)
- NRF National Research Foundation
- NT IUCN Vulnerability Assessment - Near Threatened
- NWA National Water Act
- ORI Oceanographic Research Institute
- ORI-CFTP The Oceanographic Research Institute's Cooperative Fish Tagging Project
- ORV Off-Road Vehicle
- PAD Proposed Access Density
- PCC Provincial Coastal Committee
- PCMP Provincial Coastal Management Programme
- PIT tag Passive Integrated Transponders tag
- PLS Public Launch Site
- PPP Public Participation Process
- RDLR South African Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
- RQO Resource Quality Objectives
- SAAMBR South African Association for Marine Biological Research
- SALGA South African Local Government Association
- SAMRAD South African Mineral Resource Administration System
- SAMSA South African Maritime Safety Authority
- SANBI South African National Biodiversity Institute
- SANCCOB South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Seabirds
- SANCOR South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research
- SANHO South African Navy Hydrographic Office
- SASSI South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative
- SDF Spatial Development Framework
- SDI Spatial Development Initiative
- SE South East
- SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment
- SEED Social Economic Environmental Development
- SG Surveyor General
- SLR Sea Level Rise
- SoC State of the Coast
- SoCR State of the Coast Report
- SPLUMA Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act
- TRPC Town and Regional Planning Commission