Sodwana Bay News

Sodwana Bay News

After spending nine months attached to a coelacanth, anArgos Mini-PAT satellite tag was recovered by Triton staff offshore and 16 kilometres south of Jesser Point at the Sodwana Bay node of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. The coelacanth, the 26th of 32 individuals known from South Africa’s first World Heritage Site was tagged by Trimix Divers on the 13 May 2013 in Jesser Canyon, 12 km south of the site where the tag popped up at 1am on 8 February 2014.
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There are few places on this blue planet that can match the marine diversity found along the shores of Southern Africa.  Two very different oceanic currents flank the coast of the southern tip of the African Continent. The west coast of Southern Africa is surrounded by the cold Benguela Current and on the east coast the warm Agulhas Currents moves south from the tropics. These two currents create not only two radically different marine environments but also shape the terrestrial ecosystems and the human settlements along the South African coast. 
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Divers and snorkelers alike may have had the opportunity to view anemonefish, also affectionately known as clownfish, in their natural habitat; but how many fully understand the complex association between these fish and their anemone homes? An astonishing symbiotic relationship exists between these two organisms, enabling the fish to enjoy a safe home, while the anemone is protected from predators and cleaned of parasites.
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Trimix divers discovered Sodwana’s coelacanths in 2000 and twelve years later, these advanced deep divers continue to document new coelacanths and other exciting finds in the submarine canyons of the iSimanagaliso World Heritage Site. Last week, Triton Dive Charters, a diving concession holder with a special permit to dive below 60 m in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, hosted a very experienced team of mixed gas divers, the Alternative Dive Group. Five canyon dives were undertaken and coelacanths were found on 3 occasions.
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Sea Turtles of South Africa Of the seven sea turtle species, five occur in South African waters. The green turtle, hawksbill and occasionally the olive ridley forage on reefs but only leatherback and loggerhead turtles nest along the northern beaches along the east coast of South Africa. The nesting area completely falls within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and is protected and managed by Ezemvelo KZN-Wildlife. South Africa has the longest continuous turtle monitoring program in the world. It was initiated in the 1963/1964 season. Since then, important research has been conducted that has contributed to the conservation of turtles globally.  
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South Africa’s coral reefs stretch for approximately 150 km along the northern KZN coast from north of Cape Vidal to the Mozambique border. The reefs are separated into 3 groups termed the northern, central and southern complex and are situated in the Maputaland Marine Reserve and St Lucia Marine Reserve. Combined these two marine parks form part of the iSimangoliso Wetland Park, which was proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 1999. Although all of the coral reefs lie within marine protected areas (MPA) they do not have the same levels of protection i.e certain reefs are located within sanctuaries while others are designated multiple-use zones.
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KwaZulu Natals iSimgangaliso Wetland Park has been called a small Eden and its not hard to see why.  Beach and bush lay side by side and you can find both turtle tracks and leopard spoor on the magnificent shoreline.
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In recent years an increasing emphasis has been placed on the importance of understanding the dynamics of the marine sector through the implementation of minimally destructive scientific research. Scientific research is invaluable in an area such as the iSimangaliso Wetland Park as it allows for the implementation of Long Term Monitoring Programs (LTMPs), an understanding of anthropogenic (human) impacts, and educated management.  In short, scientific research will provide the baseline information required to ensure the area remains pristine while still allowing responsible and sustainable fishing and SCUBA diving.
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The iSimangaliso Wetland Park was inscribed as a world heritage site in 1999 in recognition of its natural beauty, global value, and the unique biodiversity the area has to offer. The marine sector, warmed by the tropical equatorial waters of the Agulhas Current, is in fact so special that it is renowned worldwide for being home to a healthy population of coelacanths, a biodiversity hotspot, and an area of great ecological significance. Each year thousands of visitors head to Sodwana Bay to get away from the rat race while taking advantage of the pristine nature the area offers, particularly in terms of fishing and SCUBA diving.
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The few seaweeds that most divers will notice on the reefs of Sodwana are the ten to twenty relatively large, showy species. They are unusual in two respects: they are a small minority of the species present, and they escape grazing by fish and invertebrates, either by producing nasty chemicals or hard carbonate walls, or by growing fast or in places where grazers can’t reach them. 
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