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De Hoop Marine Protected Area
The De Hoop Marine Protected Area lies between Arniston and the mouth of the Breede River on the south coast of South Africa adjacent to the De Hoop Nature Reserve. The MPA is 51 kilometres long, and extends 5 nautical miles to sea. The whole MPA is a restricted area (No Take zone) and is part of the migratory route and calving area for Southern right whales. The area protects habitats for several economically important inshore reef fish species, and ensures the retention of marine biomass in this part of the coast. The limestone coastline is includes archaeological sites and middens that date back centuries. The MPA is close to the Breede River estuary and, provides protection for species like cob ( Argyrosomus spp.) that breed in the estuary and then return to the ocean. History The MPA was proclaimed by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mohammed Valli Moosa, in Government Gazette No. 21948 of 29 December 2000 in terms section 43 of the Marine Natural Reso ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African Oystercatcher
The African oystercatcher or African black oystercatcher (''Haematopus moquini''), is a large charismatic wader resident to the mainland coasts and offshore islands of southern Africa. This near-threatened oystercatcher has a population of over 6,000 adults, which breed between November and April. The scientific name ''moquini'' commemorates the French naturalist Alfred Moquin-Tandon who discovered and named this species before Bonaparte. Description The African oystercatcher is a large, noisy wader, with completely black plumage, red legs and a strong broad red bill. The sexes are similar in appearance, however, females are larger and have a slightly longer beak than males. Juveniles have soft grey plumage and do not express the characteristic red legs and beak until after they fledged. The call is a distinctive loud piping, very similar to Eurasian oystercatchers. As the Eurasian oystercatcher is a migratory species they only occur as a vagrant in southern Africa, and its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marine Bioregions Of The South African EEZ
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (other) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * Marines, a naval-based infantry force ** United States Marine Corps ** Royal Marines of the UK ** Brazilian Marine Corps ** Spanish Marine Infantry ** Fusiliers marins (France) ** Indonesian Marine Corps ** Republic of China Marine Corps ** Republic of Korea Marine Corps ** Royal Thai Marine Corps *"Marine" also means "navy" in several languages: ** Austro-Hungarian Navy () ** Belgian Navy (, , ) ** Royal Canadian Navy () *** Provincial Marine (1796–1910), a predecessor to the Royal Canadian Navy ** Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo () ** Royal Danish Navy () ** Finnish Navy (, ) ** French Navy () ** Gabonese Navy () ** German Navy () ** Royal Moroccan Navy () ** Royal Netherlands Navy () ** Swedish Navy () Places ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diplodus Hottentotus
''Diplodus hottentotus'', the zebra, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is found in the Western Indian Ocean off Southern Africa. Taxonomy ''Diplodus hottentotus'' was first formally described in 1844 as ''Sargus hottentotus'' in 1844 by the Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist Andrew Smith with its type locality given as the southeastern coast of South Africa. This taxon was previously considered to be a subspecies of the '' D. cervinus'' but is now considered to be a valid species. There are two disjunct populations of this “''cervinus''“ type seabreams in Southern Africa, one in southern Angola, and the other in southern and eastern South Africa and Mozambique, the population in the southeastern Atlantic off southern Angola is of uncertain taxonomy. The genus ''Diplodus'' is placed in the family Sparidae within the order Spariformes by the 5th edition of ''Fishes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White Musselcracker
''Sparodon'', commonly known as the white musselcracker, musselcracker seabream, mussel cracker seabream, brusher, or cracker. is a monotypic genus of fish in the family Sparidae. The type and only known species, ''Sparodon durbanensis'', was first described and named by François Louis Nompar de Caumont de Laporte, comte de Castelnau, in 1861. The fish is edible and is an important food source in southern Africa. Description ''S. durbanensis'' can grow up to a length of 120 centimeters, and a weight of around 22 kilograms. Its head and body are colored silver or gray. It has darker colored fins and a white belly. It has large teeth and has strongly developed jaws, allowing it to eat its prey easier. Behavior ''S. durbanensis'' mostly stays in shallow reefs as a juvenile, in depths no greater than 12 m. Some adult specimens are thought to migrate northeasterly seasonally. The average length of time between two generations, called the generation time, is 13 years for th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Musselcracker
The black musselcracker (''Cymatoceps nasutus'') is a South African species of marine fish in the family Sparidae. It is the only species of its genus ''Cymatoceps''. It reaches in length and almost in weight. It is found in coastal rocky areas to depths of , and feeds on hard-shelled invertebrates such as crabs and sea urchin Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) of ...s. The black musselcracker is a popular sport fish in South Africa. Because it is eagerly sought after, this species experiences a lot of over harvesting, which diminishes its chances of a stable population. The reason that black musselcracker is vulnerable to over harvesting is mainly because they have a slow growth rate, which means that they are most likely being harvested before they are old enough to r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diplodus Capensis
The sargo or white seabream (''Diplodus sargus'') is a species of seabream native to the eastern Atlantic and western Indian Oceans. It is found from the Bay of Biscay southwards to South Africa, including Madeira and the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and (rarely) the Black Sea. Occasionally individuals are found off the Indian Ocean coasts of South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar, and they are very rarely found elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, such as off Oman. An active fish, they inhabit the surf zone, but they may be found down to 50 m. They consume small crustaceans, mollusks and some seaweed and coral, using their strong jaws to crush shells. Individuals can reach 45 cm, but average 22 cm. ''Diplodus sargus'' are protandrous hermaphrodites, with individuals starting out life as males, and some becoming female later on. It is commercially fished, with 3,713 t taken in 2008. Some are reared using aquacultural techniques. The catch is eaten immediately or mark ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Galjoen
The galjoen, black bream, or blackfish (''Dichistius capensis'') is a species of marine fish found only along the coast of southern Africa from Angola to South Africa. Galjoen is the national fish of South Africa. Distribution and habitat The galjoen is indigenous to the coasts of southern Africa from Angola to South Africa, and is generally found around reefs at shallow depths around , often near the shore. Description This species can reach in total length and a weight of . The body is compressed, and the fins are well developed, with prominent spines, 10 of them, with between 18 and 23 rays. The anal fin has three spines, and usually 13 or 14 rays, the pelvic fins have 1 spine and 5 rays, and the pectoral fins are typically shorter than the head. The body, fins, and head, with the except of the front of the snout, are covered in scales. The lips are thick, with strong curved incisors at the front of the mouth, with smaller teeth behind the front incisors. Ecology Diet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laminaria Pallida
''Laminaria pallida'', the split-fan kelp, is a species of large brown seaweed of the class Phaeophyceae found from Danger Point on the south coast of South Africa to Port Nolloth, Tristan da Cunha and Gough islands in the Atlantic and Île Saint-Paul in the Indian Ocean. Description The large thallus is up to 10m long, with a single smooth broad blade which splits into several parallel longitudinal straps. The holdfast is multiply branched, and the stipe is usually solid, fairly stiff, round in section and tapers gradually toward the blade. In specimens with hollow stipes the stipe narrows towards the base. Distribution Danger Point on the south coast of South Africa to Port Nolloth in Namibia, Tristan da Cunha and Gough islands in the Atlantic and St Paul Island in the Indian Oacean. Type locality: Table Bay, Cape Province, South Africa (Silva, Basson & Moe 1996: 641). Ecology Commonly found below a canopy of the Sea bamboo ''Ecklonia maxima ''Ecklonia maxima'', or se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ecklonia Maxima
''Ecklonia maxima'', or sea bamboo, is a species of kelp native to the southern oceans. It is typically found along the southern Atlantic coast of Africa, from the very south of South Africa to northern Namibia. In these areas the species dominates the shallow, temperate water, reaching a depth of up to in the offshore kelp forests. The kelp anchors itself by attaching itself to a rock or other kelp via its holdfast. From this root-like structure a single long stipe rises to the surface waters, where a large pneumatocyst keeps a tangle of blades at the surface to aid photosynthesis. The species is of economic importance as it is harvested for both an agricultural supplement and as food for farmed abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any of a group of small to very large marine gastropod molluscs in the family (biology), family Haliotidae. Other common name In biology, a common name of a taxon o .... References maxi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kelp Forest
Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of kelp, which covers a large part of the world's coastlines. Smaller areas of anchored kelp are called kelp beds. They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth.Mann, K.H. 1973. Seaweeds: their productivity and strategy for growth. Science 182: 975-981. Although algal kelp forest combined with coral reefs only cover 0.1% of Earth's total surface, they account for 0.9% of global Primary production, primary productivity. Kelp forests occur worldwide throughout temperate and polar region, polar coastal oceans. In 2007, kelp forests were also discovered in tropical waters near Ecuador.Graham, M.H., B.P. Kinlan, L.D. Druehl, L.E. Garske, and S. Banks. 2007. Deep-water kelp refugia as potential hotspots of tropical marine diversity and productivity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104: 16576-16580. Physically formed by brown macroalgae, kelp forests provide a unique habitat for m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mbashe River
Mbhashe River is one of the major rivers in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It flows in a southeastern direction and has a catchment area of 6,030 km. The river drains into the Indian Ocean through an estuary located near the lighthouse at Bashee, south of Mhlanganisweni. After passing under national road N2, the Mbhashe River encounters southwest of Elliotdale and north-east of Dutywa the more rugged terrain of the Wild Coast and suddenly enters into a 64 km long series of violent twists and turns known as the Collywobbles before continuing more sedately towards the Indian Ocean. The Mbhashe river's main tributaries are the Xuka River, Mgwali River, Dutywa River and the Mnyolo River. Presently this river is part of the Mzimvubu to Keiskamma Water Management Area. History In 1554 Portuguese ship São Bento ran aground at the mouth of the Mbhashe River. The ordeal of 322 of its survivors, who walked from there to Lourenço Marques, presently Maputo, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marine Ecoregions Of The South African Exclusive Economic Zone
The marine ecoregions of the South African exclusive economic zone are a set of geographically delineated regions of similar ecological characteristics on a fairly broad scale, covering the exclusive economic zone along the South African coast. There were originally five inshore bioregions defined over the continental shelf and four offshore bioregions covering the continental slope and abyssal regions. These bioregions were used for conservation research and planning. They were defined in the South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment of 2004. The South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment of 2011 amended this to reduce the number of regions to four inshore and two offshore and rename them as ecoregions. The exclusive economic zone An exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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