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 original St Lucia and Maputaland MPAs were proclaimed in the 1970s to protect the coral reefs and the beaches where loggerhead and leatherback turtles make their nests. The Maputaland Marine Protected Area, also known as the Maputaland Marine Reserve, was a marine protected area (MPA) along the Indian Ocean coastline of northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Maputaland MPA, which forms part of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, extended a distance of seawards from the coast between the Mozambique border and Gobey's Point near Lake Sibhayi. To the south it abuts the St Lucia Marine Protected Area.
In 1998 these MPAs were combined, and a large offshore restricted zone, the iSimangaliso Offshore Marine Protected Area, added in 2019 to become the iSimangaliso MPA. The MPA includes the country's most north-eastern stretch of coastline, is South Africa's only UNESCO marine World Heritage Site and the second largest protected area in the country after the Kruger National Park. iSimangaliso is a Zulu word that means "miracle and wonder".
This subtropical area includes forests dotted with lakes and swamps, as well as coral reefs and deserted beaches. The deep, soft sediment provides homes for spider crabs and deep water rock lobsters.
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.
The stated objectives include contribution to the national and global system of marine protected areas by protecting sensitive and endangered ecosystems in a large contiguous area which connects inshore and offshore habitats, to provide sustainable ecotourism through appropriate zonation, to protect spawning stock, which may allow stock recovery and increase abundance both in the protected and adjacent areas, and to protect particular species and their habitats. This includes the canyons and the known coelacanth population, and cold-water corals, and breeding areas for turtle species.
Extent The original length of the protected shoreline is 145 km, and the area of protected ocean is 443 km2 The additional offshore controlled area of makes this the largest MPA in the South African network. Th length of coast is increased to 220 km and surface area to 13 289 km2
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°50.108' 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)