Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem

The project aimed to strengthen the sustainable management of marine biodiversity and natural marine resources of the Benguela Current by further developing the capacities of the Benguela Current Convention and its contracting states. This was achieved by describing the Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) and by implementing measures for their protection and sustainable use. In addition, the institutionalisation and implementation of Marine Spatial Planning was planned. The dissemination of the project results and experiences as well as the tried and tested concepts and instruments for EBSAs and MSP aimed to integrate the products and achievements of the project into national, regional and international policy and negotiation processes. The project thus supported the neighbouring states of the ecoregion in developing and implementing a common vision for a long-term socio-economically and ecologically sustainable human use of the biodiverse marine space.

Project data

Countries: Angola, Namibia, South Africa
IKI funding: 12,680,000.00 €
Included preparation phase: 96,626.45 €
Duration: 08/2014 till 03/2024
Status: completed
Implementing organisation: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Political Partner: Benguela Current Convention (BCC)

Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) - South Africa*

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries –Angola

Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources - Namibia
Implementing Partner: Benguela Current Convention (BCC)

Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) - South Africa*

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) - South Africa

Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) - South Africa

Department of Transport - South Africa

Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries –Angola

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment - Angola

Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism - Namibia

Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources - Namibia

Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas - Angola

Ministry of Mines and Energy - Namibia

Ministry of Transport - Angola

Ministry of Works and Transport - Namibia
Online: https://marisma-bclme.com/

https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/61194.html

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State of implementation/results

Project completed

A project website to secure and disseminate project results is available at: marisma-bclme.com/…
The three baseline mapping reports for key marine resources and sectoral marine spatial uses in the ecoregionwere available.
The regional Benguela Current Convention (BCC) geospatial data portal provides free access to spatial data relevant to planning in BCC countries: geodata.benguelacc.org
In South Africa, support was provided for the development of the National Marine Biodiversity Status Report (bgis.sanbi.org/…), published in late 2019, which served as a key input to the Baseline Mapping Report. Based on this, the Marine and Coastal Spatial Biodiversity Plan was developed (Link: cmr.mandela.ac.za/…).
The draft Marine Spatial plan (MSP) for the central coast of Namibia and its strategic environmental assessment were finalised with the involvement of stakeholders. .
The development of South Africa's MSP implementation strategy document, which provided the framework and guideline for the development of the four subnational plans, was in place.
In all three countries, national and transboundary descriptions of "ecologically or biologically significant marine areas" (EBSAs) have been revised (16) or redefined (12). These were incorporated into the spatial planning process and formed the basis for designating new marine protected areas. In March 2020 Namibia, in September 2020 South Africa and in May 2021 Angola submitted these EBSAs to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
A regional strategy on MSP under the Benguela Regional Convention was adopted by the relevant commission in October 2018 and served as a regional guideline for MSP implementation.
In Namibia, a Blue Economy Policy was being developed by an inter-ministerial body.
In mid-August 2019, Angolan President João Lourenço established a 16-member ministerial body on marine affairs by decree.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the law on MSP in April 2019, and it will come into force in April 2021.
A film on marine spatial planning, "Marine Spatial Planning in a nutshell" (youtu.be/…), was translated into local Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, and Portuguese.
Several articles have been published in scientific journals and textbooks (1) doi.org/…; 2) doi.org/…; 3) doi.org/…; 4) doi.org/…).