THREE live coelacanths have been discovered in the St Lucia Marine Protected Area (MPA), just off the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in KwaZulu Natal by a group of recreational divers.
Releasing photographs of these ancient and endangered fish, Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mohammed Valli Moosa, said the exciting discovery presents major opportunities for research and tourism, adding another attraction to the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, which is South Africa's first World Heritage Site and the largest wetland in the southern hemisphere.
Thus far, the 360-million-year-old species has been found alive in only two countries: Comoros and Indonesia.
Given the international prominence of the 'living fossil', it is expected there will be great pressure by local and international dive operators and researchers to gain access to the site of the discovery.
As a result, Minister Moosa has declared an Emergency Measure, in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act (1998), to protect the living coelacanths found at St Lucia.
The department is looking at regulations that will bring the area under immediate control, by limiting all diving and research activity, until such time as it can develop a system of proper control and establish research rights. The discovery occurred in the C zone of the sanctuary (multiple use zone) where diving and pelagic fishing is permitted.
Present activities in St Lucia and Maputaland will not be greatly affected by the emergency measure. Dive operators seldom take clients beyond a 60-metre depth, which is the limit for compressed air and NITROX diving. Bottom fishing is already prohibited in the MPA.
(Elizabeth Sheridan)
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