Durban Bay Estuarine Management Plan 2016
“Durban Bay is classified as an estuarine bay. Estuarine bays are large tidal systems where there is freshwater input but also a strong marine influence. They represent the rarest estuarine type in South Africa where only Knysna, Richards Bay and Durban Bay fall into this category. Significantly, this Bay is also known as the Port of Durban, the leading container port in the southern hemisphere, and it therefore functions as one of national economy’s key assets (Forbes and Demetriades 2006). Moreover, it is an important resource for the citizens of Durban to access recreational, subsistence and other social benefits. As described in the Situation Assessment Report (2011), the Bay’s estuarine ecosystem has been compromised to the point that it has lost resilience for various reasons related to both the Port uses and the socio-economic activities undertaken within the catchments which drain into the Bay. Yet, while the environment has become significantly degraded, it nevertheless remains an estuary of local, regional and even national significance.”
