To make the National Coastal and Marine Spatial Biodiversity Plan process as clear and transparent as possible, here are the links to a number of information products that have been used to inform South Africa's marine spatial biodiversity priority areas, as well as a few other useful resources.

  • The NBA 2018 Marine Assessment Technical Report is an excellent resource that gives substantial background on the input layers (biodiversity features and design variables), including the map of ecosystem types, maps and analyses for ecological condition. It also describes the data on activity intensity (sector maps) and cumulative pressure  that was used in the cost layer. The NBA 2018 also provides the analyses for the two deadline indicators: ecosystem threat status and ecosystem protection levels.
    Is available for download from the NBA website, and the Executive Summary is available for download on the sidebar. Note that the map of marine ecosystem types is also available on the NBA website. (For a cross-realm summary overview of the NBA 2018, download the Synthesis Report book)

  • The NBA 2018 Coast Assessment Technical Report is also a useful resource, providing analyses using a cross-realm (terrestrial, estuarine, marine) lens. It provides background on the definition of the ecologically determined coastal zone, as well as a cross-realm (terrestrial, estuarine, marine) lens through which to assess the status of the South African coast (ecological condition, threat status, protection level) and to do integrated land-sea planning.
    It is available for download on the NBA website, and the Executive Summary is available for download on the side bar. A scientific publication summarising the NBA 2018 Coast Assessment results is available in African Journal of Marine ScienceNote that the map of coastal ecosystem types is also available on the NBA website. The publication accompanying the map of coastal ecosystem types is available here(For a cross-realm summary overview of the NBA 2018, download the Synthesis Report book)

  • Descriptions of the revised and new Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) provide details on this input layer. 
    The descriptions are available on this webpage, including online versions of the content with interactive maps as well as a pdf download. The shapefiles are also available for download at that link. There are also links to the status assessment and proposed management of the EBSAs, which draws from the Coastal and Marine CBA Map and sea-use guidelines. For publications related to EBSAs, view this webpage.

  • The Technical Guidelines for CBA Maps provides the technical details on how to compile maps of Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) and Ecological Support Areas (ESAs) and the supporting land/sea-use guidelines. 
    It is available for download from SANBI's Biodiversity Advisor.

 

  • Mapping Biodiversity Priorities is a joint publication between the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). The document summarises the essential components of South Africa’s well-established approach for systematic biodiversity planning. It provides some background to the systematic biodiversity planning approach that is being followed in deriving the marine spatial biodiversity priorities.
    It is available for download from SANBI's Biodiversity Advisor.

  • The Lexicon of Biodiversity Planning is a compilation of the commonly used words and acronyms in systematic biodiversity planning, with accompanying definitions in a South African context. The purpose of this document is to provide standard definitions of key concepts and frequently used terms, to ensure clear understanding, consistency and credibility.
    It is available for download from SANBI's Biodiversity Advisor.

  • The MARISMA Spatial Data Portal is where all of the data that have gone into the CBA Map will be indicated and made available for download subject to the confidentiality of the data. There is also an interactive data viewer that is available from this page. [Note that we will be building this aspect of the website soon; for now, the Namibian data from the EBSA project serve as an illustration of what's coming for the South African data].
    The Spatial Data Portal is available here.

  • Watch Marine Spatial Planning in a Nutshell: a 5 min video on what marine spatial planning is, available in Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa and isiZulu.
    The video can be played here.

  • Watch videos from our information-sharing session on Marine Spatial Biodiversity Priority Areas as an input for MSP.
    The videos can be played here.

  • Watch MzanSea | A celebration of South Africa's oceans and new Marine Protected Areas a 7 min video celebrating marine life in South Africa.
    The video can be played here.

  • Watch #DiepRespek: a 2.5 min video celebrating South Africa's Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems.
    The video can be played here.