The Prince Edward Island Marine Protected Area is an offshore conservation region near the Prince Edward Islands in the exclusive economic zone of South Africa, nearly 2,000 km southeast of South Africa in the Indian Ocean. The MPA provides habitat for seals, killer whales, breeding seabirds and Patagonian toothfish.
The Prince Edward Islands have been managed as a special nature reserve since November 1995, but there was originally no marine component. The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), Martinus van Schalkwyk, announced South Africa's intention to declare a large MPA around the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands in June 2004. This was followed by consultation between DEAT and WWF to guide the implementation of this MPA. The result was a compromise between conservation and commercial fishing interests based on the available information. The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Bomo Edith Edna Molewa, declared a Marine Protected Area in the waters surrounding the Prince Edward Islands by Government Notice 426 in Government Gazette 36575, dated 21 June 2013.
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 Prince Edward Islands MPA is intended to stop the decline of the Patagonian toothfish, which has been critically over-exploited, and to reduce the seabird bycatch of the fishery, particularly of albatrosses and petrels.
The MPA protects of sea in the EEZ around the Prince Edward Islands.
The Prince Edward Islands MPA is the area of sea enclosed by a polygon of borders lines sequentially joining the points from S43ð34â², E34ð56â², straight to S44ð10â², E35ð35â², straight to S45ð06â², E36ð36â², straight to S46ð06â², E37ð42â², straight to S46ð06â², E38ð44â², straight to S44ð50â², E42ð27â², along the boundary of the EEZ to S45ð46â², Eð42â²53, along the boundary of the EEZ to S48ð42â², E43ð02â², straight to S46ð42â², E41ð48â², straight to S47ð57â², E38ð07â², straight to S49ð20â², E38ð36â², straight to S50ð14â², E35ð36â², along the boundary of the EEZ to S49ð16â², E34ð03â², straight to S48ð02â², E35ð25â², straight to S47ð03â², E36ð31â², straight to S46ð12â², E35ð36â², straight to S45ð16â², E34ð35â², straight to S44ð30â², E33ð44â² and back along the boundary of the EEZ to S43ð34â², E34ð56â².
The MPA comprises a sanctuary zone, four restricted zones, and a controlled zone, linking the restricted zones.
The sanctuary zone extends 12 nautical miles offshore from the high water mark. It is inside the Prince Edward Islands restricted zone.
Southwest Indian Ridge restricted area:
Prince Edward Islands restricted area:
Africana II Rise restricted area:
Abyss restricted area:
The controlled zone is remainder of the MPA outside of the restricted areas.
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, which manage the MPAs 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.
Marine mammals:
Marine birds:
Fish:
Marine resources of the MPA have been threatened by illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing for Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides. Longline fishing also has an impact on seabirds which get snagged while lines are being set.
There are no slipways or harbors in or near the MPA.