Africa

Operations Director Derrick Swanepoel derrick@earthrace.net

Chapters
Capetown http://www.facebook.com/EarthraceCapeTown
Durban http://www.facebook.com/EarthraceDurban

The launch event for Earthrace Conservation Organisation in Africa took place by the waterside at the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay near Simonstown this Saturday, 26 March 2011. Our thanks go to Steve Knight, and to Linda Redmond from http://www.redmondpublications.co.za who organised the launch.

Kalk Bay, Cape Town was a truly appropriate location to launch what we are sure will be a very powerful force in global marine conservation and activism in Africa. Just under 200 years ago, it was the hub of the whaling industry, the third biggest income earner for the Cape Colony after agriculture and wine making. Three of the main whaling stations were located in the Bay.

Things changed when the whaling caused the almost total extinction of the Southern Right Whales who came to calve in the waters there. The fishing industry around Kalk Bay was further impacted by the dramatic reduction of fish in False Bay which occurred from 1955 onwards as over fishing reduced fish stocks to catastrophically low levels.

Earthrace Africa is working on a number of issues across the whole country including the effects of poaching, over fishing, and by-catch of endangered marine species, as well as the continuing slaughter of huge numbers of marine mammals like the Cape Fur Seals for profit.

There are also major concerns with pollution from industry affecting waterways and oceans around Africa. For example, the giant pulp manufacturer Sappi Saiccor is a major polluter in the town of Umkomaas in South Africa. Currently, there is a discussion about moving a primary school located close to the factory, in order to protect the pupils from the health risks connected to outlets from the plant. Local fishermen and divers are also angry because of the waste the company dumps in the Indian Ocean. (thanks to John Miller from www.sharkcagedivingkzn.com for letting us know about this and about Sappi Saiccor plans to build another plant in a different location).