Coast KZN

State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
Chapter 9: Governance Environment Chapter 10: Conclusions
The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Coastal and Marine Species Migrations The Human Dimension Socio-Economic Uses of the Coast Commercial Resource Uses
Pressures and Threats Management of the Coastal and Marine Environments Understanding our Coast
Coastal access
Coastal access

Access RoutesBoat Launch SitesThe Human DimensionCoastal Access: Stats & Facts
Estuaries
Estuaries

What is an Estuary? Know your Estuaries Estuary Health and Conservation KZN Estuary Observer Programme
Historical Time Series Estuary Mouth Status Sand Mining
Recreation
Recreation

Fish TaggingAccess RoutesBlue Flag Beaches
Coastal risk and vulnerability
Coastal risk and vulnerability

Coastal Risk LinesExtreme EventsCoastal ErosionKZN Coastal Vulnerability IndexPollution
Coastal issues
Coastal issues

PollutionSand MiningCoastal ErosionNurdlesUPL Chemical Spill
Back
26 Sep 2017

Shark nets removed to prevent whale entanglements

(THE MERCURY: ENVIRONMENT) Picture: Photo by Sho Hatakeyama on Unsplash

“To prevent the entanglement of migrating humpback whales in shark nets, the KZN Sharks Board has decided to temporarily remove them in certain areas.“

“(In) an attempt to find a suitable solution to this we have, in consultation with the Sharks Board Research Division, agreed on a way forward for the next month or so.

During periods of intense whale activity the two nets at Zinkwazi and one at Blythedale will be removed and replaced with additional drumlines as a temporary measure.”

He said after examining 10 years of shark capture data for these two beaches, they were confident that this short-term variation to the gear would not lead to any increase in risk for bathers.

“Drumlines match the catch statistics of nets in terms of the capture of both the great white and tiger shark.

Bull sharks are the other species of concern which are predominantly a summer species. Captures of these during September and October are very low.”

Anderson-Reade said that most of these whales would leave the coast by the end of October and early November for the summer feeding grounds in the Antarctic.

“This approach may be considered during peak whale season at other protected beaches along the KZN coast in the years ahead.”

He said the humpback whale population had recovered “extremely well” since whaling had ceased during the early 1970s.

“The current population estimates for our region during the winter migration period (June to November) is estimated to be approximately 15 000, increasing at a rate of 11% per annum.”

Online Article