Hartenbos Estuary Management Plan 2016-2021
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HARTENBOS ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2021: First Generation EMP MAY 2016 HARTENBOS ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2021: First Generation EMP compiled by Anchor Environmental (VERA MASSIE, KENNETH HUTCHINGS AND BARRY CLARK) 2018-2023: Second Generation EMP compiled by Mossel Bay Municipality January 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 BACKGROUND........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE HARTENBOS ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN ............................................ 1 2 SITUATION ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1.2 GEOGRAPHIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT ................................................................................. 4 2.1.3 ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONING.......................................................................... 5 2.1.4 ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.5 LEGISLATION AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES ........................................................................................ 10 2.2 UITVOERENDE OPSOMMING ................................................................................................................. 15 2.2.1 INLEIDING ........................................................................................................................................ 15 2.2.2 GEOGRAFIESE EN SOSIO-EKONOMIESE KONTEKS ............................................................................. 15 2.2.3 EKOLOGIESE EIENSKAPPE EN FUNKSIONERING ................................................................................ 15 2.2.4 EKOSISTEEM DIENSTE ...................................................................................................................... 15 2.2.5 WETGEWING EN BESTUUR KWESSIES ............................................................................................... 15 3 VISION ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 4 ESTUARY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................... 15 4.1 IMPROVE ESTUARY HEALTH ................................................................................................................. 15 4.2 MAXIMISE ECONOMIC BENEFITS .......................................................................................................... 15 4.3 RESTORE AESTHETIC VALUE ................................................................................................................ 15 4.4 INCREASE AWARENESS ........................................................................................................................ 16 4.5 HARMONIOUS AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE....................................................................................... 16 5 STRATEGIES TO MEET MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ................................................................................... 17 6 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES AND MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANS .................................................... 19 6.1 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 1: IMPROVE ESTUARY HEALTH ......................................................... 19 6.2 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 2: IMPROVE WATER QUALITY ........................................................... 24 6.3 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 3: EFFECTIVE MOUTH MANAGEMENT ............................................... 28 6.4 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 4: IMPROVE RECREATIONAL VALUE ................................................. 33 6.5 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 5: IMPROVE AESTHETIC VALUE ........................................................ 36 6.6 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 6: INCREASE AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION FOR THE HARTENBOS ESTUARY .......................................................................................................................................................... 36 6.7 KEY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 7: RESEARCH AND MONITORING ...................................................... 39 6.8 HARMONIOUS AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE....................................................................................... 39 6.9 SUMMARY OF MANAGEMENT ACTIONS AND TIMING ............................................................................. 45 7 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ 48 7.1 APPENDIX 1: PROPOSED HARTENBOS ESTUARY ZONATION PLAN ....................................................... 48 7.1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 48 7.1.2 GEOGRAPHICAL EXTENT OF THE ESTUARY ...................................................................................... 49 7.1.3 COASTAL PROTECTION ZONE, COASTAL MANAGEMENT LINES AND FLOOD LINES .......................... 51 7.1.4 PROPOSED MANAGEMENT ZONES FOR THE HARTENBOS ESTUARY .................................................. 52 7.2 APPENDIX 2: PROPOSED ESTUARY MOUTH MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL FOR THE HARTENBOS ESTUARY, MOSSEL BAY MUNICIPALITY ............................................................................................................................ 55 7.2.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 55 7.2.2 OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE LOCAL MOUTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME ...................................... 57 i 7.2.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE ESTUARY ........................................................................................................ 58 7.2.4 MOTIVATION FOR ARTIFICIAL BREACHING ...................................................................................... 60 7.2.5 BREACHING PROCEDURE ................................................................................................................. 76 7.2.6 KEY MONITORING INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 82 7.2.7 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT THROUGH POST BREACHING REPORTING AND CONSULTATION SESSIONS . 84 7.2.8 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................... 85 7.3 APPENDIX 3: ECOLOGICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND THRESHOLDS OF POTENTIAL CONCERN (TPC) FOR MONITORING PARAMETERS LISTED IN APPENDIX 4 ............................................................................................ 86 7.4 APPENDIX 4: RECOMMENDED MONITORING PROTOCOL FOR THE HARTENBOS ESTUARY .................... 89 7.5 APPENDIX 5: NATIONAL RESPONSE PROTOCOL FOR FISH KILLS ............................................................ 96 7.6 APPENDIX 6: LISTED ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH AN EIA IS REQUIRED FOR ESTUARIES IN THE WESTERN CAPE ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT (NEMA) ................................... 99 8 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................. 105 ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AEC Anchor Environmental Consultants (Pty) Ltd. C.A.P.E. Cape Action Plan for People and the Environment CPZ Coastal Protection Zone CSIR Council for Industrial and Scientific Research DAFF Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries DEA Department of Environmental Affairs DEA:O&C Department of Environmental Affairs: Oceans and Coasts DWS Department of Water and Sanitation DEADP Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning DPWs Department of Public Works ECR Ecological Reserve Category EDM Eden District Municipality EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EFZ Estuarine Functional Zone EMP Estuary Management Plan EAF Estuary Advisory Forum IDP Integrated Development Plan KRA Key Result Area MAPs Management Action Plans MAR Mean annual runoff MSL Mean sea level MEC Member of Provincial Executive Council Mm3 Million cubic metres MBM Mossel Bay Municipality NEMA National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998) ICMA National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act (Act No 24 of 2008) NEMP National Estuary Management Protocol NWA National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) PES Present Ecological Status REC Recommended Ecological Category WWTW Waste Water Treatment Works iii GLOSSARY Term Description Abiotic Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems Biotic Associated with or derived from living organisms Estuarine resident fish species Estuarine fish species, which breed in estuaries Estuarine-dependent Euryhaline marine species which usually breed at sea with the juveniles showing varying degrees of dependence on southern African estuaries Euryhaline The ability to adapt to a wide range of salinities Eutrophication Eutrophication is a process whereby water bodies, such as lakes, estuaries, or slow-moving