A much anticipated “big reveal” aimed at spreading conservation awareness took place at the Helderberg Marine Protected Area (MPA) on the morning of Tuesday 2 May, a collaboration between Helderberg Ocean Awareness Movement (HOAM), the Helderberg Sunrise Rotary Club and Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM).
At the end of it the big reveal was a tall mounted signboard along the beach and against the RDM boundary fence, which reminds beachgoers of the precious surroundings and urges adherence to respecting nature and avoiding fishing, dog walking and disturbing of marine life.
“It’s a heartfelt message that kindly encourages awareness and appreciation for this wonderful stretch of beach we have right on our doorstep here in the Strand,” said Lisa Starr, founder of HOAM. “The diverse marine life thrives in this vicinity and more so with our cooperation.”
Starr said the collaboration among the role-players was effortless given their shared passion for the environment and the Helderberg MPA, and RDM had always been supportive of initiatives that drive conservation efforts.
“We arranged a clean-up on the day and picked up litter on our way towards the unveiling,” she said, “and we were joined by Juanita Pretorius, organiser of the World Naked Bike Ride in Cape Town and an environmentalist, who also shared the message of ‘leave only footprints behind’. We are so grateful for all the support from our members and the entire community.”
Sonja Peacey of the Helderberg Sunrise Rotary Club said the unveiling of the sign at the Helderberg MPA symbolises friendship, collaboration and common goals among the three agencies.
“The MPA is an area we are all privileged to share and preserve,” she pointed out.
RDM released a statement saying, along with Shark Spotters, it has partnered with the City of Cape Town to create a long-term monitoring and conservation programme to collect baseline data and assess the effectiveness of the Helderberg MPA.
The RDM section encompasses nearly 3 km of the MPA, which strictly limits public access to the area. So there is massive potential for this closed section of the coast to foster a sanctuary for a vast range of seabirds, fish, invertebrates, sharks, and rays.
RDM CEO Jan-Patrick Helmsen, in a statement, said: “Rheinmetall Denel Munition is home to more than 6 000 animals, which includes 3 000 antelopes and 350 bird species. We believe we are part of the ecosystem and must co-exist responsibly.
“Partnering with NGOs such as Shark Spotters, and HOAM has expanded our role and knowledge in protecting the Helderberg MPA, home to various endangered species. In addition, we have involved our employees and the Macassar community in protecting and preserving the RDM coastline.
“Recently we hosted a successful Beach Clean-up Day as part of our commitment to ensuring the 3 km coastline bordering our facility is clean and undisturbed. Our involvement offers a 3 km haven for endangered species to recuperate from overfishing.”
The statement added that the recent unveiling of signage is meant to alert people to the Helderberg MPA to create awareness of what is not permissible in the area, including fishing.
“The blue economy significantly contributes to global job and food security, with commercial fisheries accounting for a large proportion of this sector.
“However, commercial exploitation has rapidly declined many target and non-target fish populations. As a result, Marine Protected Areas have become an important conservation and management tool to mitigate against commercial fishery impacts and provide sanctuary for sensitive species or life stages.
“MPAs allow ecosystems to recover from exploitation by providing safe spaces for fish and invertebrates to feed, breed and grow undisturbed. It is now widely accepted that well-managed MPAs increase fish diversity and abundance, which can have positive spill-over effects on neighbouring regions.”
