Biological significance of harbours as coastal habitats in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

✍ Scribed by A. T. FORBES; N. T. DEMETRIADES; D. P. CYRUS

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 764 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1052-7613
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0755(199612)6:4<331::aid-aqc198>3.0.co;2-c

✦ Synopsis

1. There has been increasing concern in South Africa in recent years regarding the biological status of estuaries in the region.

2. Loss of estuarine habitat in Kwa2ulu-Natal through sedimentation and increasing frequency of mouth closure has to some extent been mitigated by the development of harbours at Richards Bay and Durban which, despite extensive dredging, now support the major areas of sheltered intertidal habitat in the province.

3. Despite physical environmental degradation, recent work has demonstrated the biological significance of the harbours as sheltered marine habitats and nursery areas. This has coincided with increasing levels of environmental awareness amongst the harbour authorities and the declaration of the surviving mangroves of Durban Bay as a Natural Heritage Site.

4. While normal harbour function will remain a priority, environmental impacts associated with engineering developments are becoming a significant factor in the decision making process. $