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Mission Logs Complete management plan Visit St Lucia Getting to work More reserve travel Traveling to Krantz Kloof Reserve Arriving in South Africa Background South Africa delegation home page

Starting Work on the Management Plan By Carol Bernthal Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary superintendent Enforcement Working Group discussing how to proceed on a compliance paln for Aliwal Shoal. April 23 — Today the team rolled up their sleeves and got down to work on developing a management plan for the proposed Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA). Our job was made easier after looking at work previously done by the Aliwal Shoal Forum, a group of interested citizens and user groups formed in 1995 to discuss how to protect this unique area in the face of growing conflicts between user groups. The Aliwal Shoal Forum was instrumental in proposing the area for designation as a marine protected area and had drafted a set of user group guidelines that we used as a starting point. The team began with a discussion on the overall management goals and objectives. In addition to a goal of conserving the marine environment, we examined issues like resolving user conflicts, using education to promote voluntary compliance and awareness, encouraging opportunities for previously disadvantaged communities adjoining the MPA, and enhancing partnerships from the local to international level. After general discussions, we separated into smaller work groups around specific topics: MPA boundaries and zoning, enforcement, education and user group regulations. Each group consisted of KwaZulu Natal Wildlife staff and one to two American advisors. We started with a general discussion on the issues, state of current management efforts, and then began brainstorming on additional strategies and programs with a reality check of anticipated staffing and budgets. The knowledge and experience of the KZN staff in managing other marine and terrestrial protected areas was very important. It was exciting and challenging for the American delegates to take our typical management strategies and see them through the eyes of South African marine managers, and then try to create a new “blend.” In the process, we all learned from each other. At the end of the day, a lot had been accomplished but we all realized that more work lay ahead. The true test of the effectiveness of the management plan will only come after being put “on the water.” April 24 — Day two of the managementplan workshop started with a report from each workgroup and suggested modifications from other participants. We then tackled the remaining issues: research and monitoring, resource use plans, creation of an advisory board, background description of the area and issues, and authorizing legislation. By the end of the day, our heads were spinning, but we had made substantial progress towards a very rough first draft. The team celebrated with a dinner and a night drive to enjoy the balmy evening breeze and a brilliant moon on Lake St. Lucia.

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