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The iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area is a coastal and offshore marine protected area in KwaZulu-Natal from the South Africa-Mozambique border in the north to Cape St Lucia lighthouse in the south. == History == The origins of the MPA were established in 1998. Two existing coastal MPAs, the Maputaland MPA and the St Lucia MPA were combined and a large offshore restricted zone, the iSimangaliso Offshore Marine Protected Area, added in 2019 to become the iSimangaliso MPA. == Purpose == A marine protected area is defined by the IUCN as "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values".The offshore extension is intended for the protection of deep water ecosystems and to secure the habitat and foraging areas of endangered Leatherback turtles and coelacanths. == Extent == The length of the protected shoreline is 145 km, and the area of protected ocean is 443 km2 The additional offshore controlled area makes this the largest MPA in the South African network. === Boundaries === The boundaries of the MPA are: Northern border: S26°51.515', E32°53.454' to S26º59.376’, E33º27.366′ Eastern border: S26º59.376’, E33º27.366′ to S28º31.3265’, E33º27.755’ Southern border: S28º31.3265’, E33º27.755’ to S28°31.174′, E32°24.0587′ Western border: S28°31.174′, E32°24.0587′ to S26°51.515', E32°53.454' along the high-water mark, excluding estuaries. === Zonation === The Maputaland and St Lucia Marine Reserves form a continuous protected area stretching 150 km from the Mozambique border to Cape Vidal for 3 nautical miles out to sea. These are now part of the iSimangaliso MPA. ==== Inshore zonation ==== The inshore zones lie between the high water mark and low water mark, except the controlled pelagic area which extends 100 m seawards of the high water mark.iSimangaliso inshore sanctuary zone 1: (South African-Mozambique border to 500 m north of the Kosi North Bank) An inshore sanctuary zone between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line east-south-east from S26°51.5148', E32°53.4527' at the South Africa-Mozambique border Southern border: A line bearing east from S26°53.411', E32°52.844'.iSimangaliso inshore controlled pelagic zone 1: (500 m north of the Kosi north bank to 2 km south of the mouth of the Kosi Lake) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S26°53.411', E32°52.844'. Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S26°54.???', E32°52.847'iSimangaliso inshore sanctuary zone 2: (2 km south of the mouth of the Kosi Lake to beacon N13) An inshore sanctuary zone between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S26°54.???', E32°52.847' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S26°56.999', E32°52.349'iSimangaliso inshore controlled pelagic zone 2: (Beacon N13 to Boteler Point) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S26°56.999', E32°52.349' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°00.835', E32°52.010'iSimangaliso inshore sanctuary zone 3: (Boteler Point to 1 km south of Dog Point) An inshore sanctuary zone between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°00.835', E32°52.010' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°06.935', E32°50.198'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Pelagic Zone 3 (1 km south of Dog Point to north of Sodwana Bay) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°06.935', E32°50.198' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°31.583', E32°40.411'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Zone 1: (North of Sodwana Bay to Sodwana lighthouse) A controlled area is situated between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°31.583', E32°40.411' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°32.737', E32°40.745'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Pelagic Zone 4: (Sodwana lighthouse to Red Sands) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°31.583', E32°40.411' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°43.067', E32°37.610'iSimangaliso Inshore Wilderness Zone 1: (Red Sands to Leven Point) A wilderness area is situated between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°43.067', E32°37.610' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°55.864', E32°35.659'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Pelagic Zone 5: (Leven Point to 4 km north of Cape Vidal) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S27°55.864', E32°35.659' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°05.104', E32°33.616'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Zone 2: (4 km North of Cape Vidal to 1 km south of Cape Vidal) A controlled area is situated between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°05.104', E32°33.616' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°08.694', E32°33.306'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Pelagic Zone 6: (1 km south of Cape Vidal to 6.5 km north of Mziki path) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°08.694', E32°33.306' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°12.171', E32°31.700'iSimangaliso Inshore Sanctuary Zone 4: (6.5 km north of Mziki Path to Mziki Path) An inshore sanctuary zone between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°12.171', E32°31.700' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°15.335', E32°29.929'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Pelagic Zone 7: (Mziki Path to 2 km north of the St Lucia swimming beach) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°15.335', E32°29.929' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°21.???', E32°26.384'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Zone 3: (2 km north of the St Lucia swimming beach to 1.6 km south of Maphelane Point) A controlled area is situated between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°21.???', E32°26.384' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°25.356', E32°25.642'iSimangaliso Inshore Controlled Pelagic Zone 8: (1.6 Km south of Maphelane Point to Middle Railway Ledges) A controlled pelagic zone between the high water mark and a line 100 m seawards of the high water mark Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°25.356', E32°25.642' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°27.745', E32°25.030'iSimangaliso Inshore Sanctuary Zone 5: (Middle Railway Ledges to 500 m south of the Cape St Lucia Lighthouse) An inshore sanctuary zone between the high water and low water marks Northern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°27.745', E32°25.030' Southern boundary: A line bearing east from S28°31.171', E32°24.176' ==== Offshore zonation ==== The offshore zones are bounded inshore by the low water mark and offshore by a line parallel to the low water mark at a distance of three nautical miles to seaward.iSimangaliso offshore sanctuary zone 1: (Mozambique border to beacon N13) An offshore sanctuary zone between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line east-south east from S26°51.515', E32°53.453' at the South Africa-Mozambique border Southern boundary: A line due east from S26°56.999' E32°52.349'iSimangaliso offshore controlled pelagic zone 1: (beacon N13 to Boteler Point) An offshore controlled pelagic area between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S26°56.999', E32°52.349' Southern boundary: A line due east from S27°00.835', E32°52.010'iSimangaliso offshore sanctuary zone 2: (Boteler Point to 1 km south of Dog Point) An offshore sanctuary zone between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S27°00.835', E32°52.010' Southern boundary: A line due east from S27°06.935', E32°50.108'iSimangaliso offshore controlled pelagic zone 2: (1 km south of Dog Point to north of Sodwana Bay) An offshore controlled pelagic area between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S27°06.935' E32°50.010' Southern boundary: A line due east from S27°31.583', S32°40.411'iSimangaliso offshore controlled zone 1: (North of Sodwana Bay to the Sodwana lighthouse) An offshore controlled zone between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S27°31.583', E32°40.411' Southern boundary: A line due east from S27°32.737', E32°40.775'iSimangaliso offshore controlled pelagic zone 3 (Sodwana lighthouse to Red Sands) An offshore controlled pelagic area between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S27°32.737', E32°40.775' Southern boundary: A line due east from S27°43.067', E32°37.610'iSimangaliso offshore wilderness zone 1: (Red Sands to Leven Point) An offshore wilderness zone between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S27°43.067', E32°37.610' Southern boundary: A line due east from S27°55.864', E32°35.659'iSimangaliso offshore controlled pelagic zone 4: (Leven Point to 4 km north of the Cape Vidal on-ramp) An offshore controlled pelagic area between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water m*An offshore sanctuary zone between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S27°55.864', E32°35.659' Southern boundary: A line due east from S28°05.184', E32°33.616'iSimangaliso offshore controlled zone 2: (4 km north of the Cape Vidal on-ramp to 1 km south of Cape Vidal.) An offshore controlled zone between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S28°05.184', E32°33.616' Southern boundary: A line due east from S28°08.694', E32°33.306'iSimangaliso offshore controlled pelagic zone 5: (1 km south of Cape Vidal to 2 km north of the St Lucia swimming beach) An offshore controlled pelagic area between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S28°08.694', E32°33.306' Southern boundary: A line due east from S28°21.???', E32°26.384'iSimangaliso offshore controlled zone 3: (2 km north of the St Lucia swimming beach to 1.6 km south of Maphelane Point) An offshore controlled zone between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S28°21.???', E32°26.384' Southern boundary: A line due east from S28°25.356', E32°25.642'iSimangaliso offshore controlled pelagic zone 6: (1.6 km south of Maphelane Point to 500 m south of the Cape St Lucia Lighthouse) An offshore controlled pelagic area between the low water mark and a distance of three nautical miles offshore of the low water mark Northern boundary: A line due east from S28°25.356', E32°25.642' Southern boundary: A line due east from S28°31.171', E32°24.176' ==== Restricted areas ==== The offshore extension area from 3 nautical miles seaward of the low water mark to the offshore boundaries of the MPA.iSimangaliso offshore restricted zone 1: (offshore extension) A restricted area with inshore (western) boundary at three nautical miles from the low water mark from S28°31.345', E32°27.718' to S26°52.356', E32°56.723' Northern boundary: S26°52.356', E32°56.723' to S26°58.881', E33°22.345' Eastern boundary: S26°58.881', E33°22.345' to S28°31.345', E33°22.345' Southern boundary: S28°31.345', E33°22.345' to S28°31.345', E32°27.718' == Management == The marine protected areas of South Africa are the responsibility of the national government, which has management agreements with a variety of MPA management authorities, in this case, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, which manages the MPA with funding from the SA Government through the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for issuing permits, quotas and law enforcement. == Use == === Activities requiring a permit === ==== Fishing ==== The game and bait fish that be caught in the controlled-pelagic zone of the MPA are in the following families, and all species in these families may be caught.Pelagic gamefish species: Carangidae (garrick, kingfish, queenfish, yellowtail) Coryphaenidae (dorado) Istiophoridae (marlin and sailfish) Pomatomidae (elf/shad) Rachycentridae (cobia/prodigal son) Scombridae (mackerels, tuna, wahoo) Sphyraenidae (barracudas)Pelagic baitfish species: Atherinidae (silversides) Belonidae (garfish) Chirocentridae (wolfherring) Clupeidae (red-eyes, sardines) Engraulidae (anchovies, glass-noses) Exocoetidae (flying fish) Hemiramphidae (halfbeaks) Scomberesocidae (sauries) ==== Scuba diving ==== ===== Named dive sites ===== Some of the dive sites are so close to each other that the available resolution of position does not distinguish between them. === Prohibited activities === == Geography == == Ecology == The MPA is in the tropical Delagoa ecoregion in the far north of kwaZulu-NatalFour major habitats exist in the sea in this region, distinguished by the nature of the substrate. 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