Coast KZN

Much has been written about specific resources and features along the KZN coast. Many materials exist that provide evidence of the use of these coastal resources and the creation of certain features; the relics of hunters and gatherers, the activities of farmers, conservationists, soldiers and traders, missionaries and the many ordinary men and women of KZN, both historically and in the present. The KZN coastline has undergone a transformation from a pristine coastline little impacted by early indigenous hunter-gatherers, to a highly developed coastal zone with pressure from increasingly rapid urban development.

A generally accepted definition of artisanal fisheries, also known as "small-scale" fisheries, is that they usually have a long history and tradition or culture; mostly make use of low technology fishing gear (often made by hand); and catch fairly low value resources. Subsistence fisheries refer to those fisheries where poor, unemployed people harvest fish or other marine organisms in close proximity to where they live as a means to meet their basic needs for food security.