There are several types of areas in the marine and coastal environment where special regulations apply for conservation, fishery management and the promotion of tourism. These include:
Closed Areas, declared under Section 77 of the Marine Living Resources Act. Fishing is restricted or prohibited entirely in these areas as indicated below.
Marine Protected Areas, declared under Section 43 of the Marine Living Resources Act. In general no fishing (at least in certain zones), construction work, pollution, or any form of disturbance is allowed here unless written permission (which could be in the form of a permit or exemption issued by the Department) has been granted by the Minister.
National Parks, declared under the Protected Areas Act, can include marine areas and estuaries. Only the Marine Living Resource Act Regulations that apply in these areas are listed here.

CLOSED AREAS:

East London
Only fishing from the shore is allowed in the following three areas near East London:

(i) between Nahoon Point and Gonubie Point, extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.

(ii) between Christmas Rock and Gxulu River mouth extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.

(iii) between Nyara River mouth and Great Kei River mouth, extending three nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark.

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS:

Tsitsikamma National Park (includes the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area)

No fishing is allowed between Groot River at Oubos to Groot River at Nature’s Valley, extending three nautical miles sea-wards from the high-water mark. No jetskis may be used anywhere in the MPA. SANParks is the management agency (Contact number:
042-281 1607).
33°59.0’S; 023°34.561’E
34°03.6’S; 024°11.665’E
34°06.600’S; 024°11.665’E
34°01.817’S; 023°38.857’E
33°59.317’S; 023°38.857’E
33°59.500’S; 023°34.561’E

Sardinia Bay Marine Protected Area

No fishing is allowed between beacon PECR1 near Schoenmakerskop and beacon PECR2 near Bushy Park, extending one nautical mile seawards from the high-water mark. Jet skis are allowed in the MPA but the management authority should be contacted for more information. DEAT Compliance is the management authority. Contact number: 041-585 4051).

Bird Island MPA

No fishing is allowed around Bird Island in Algoa Bay within a rectangle defined by the latitudes 33°48.0’S and 33°52.5’S and the longitudes 026°14.5’E and 026°20.0’E. No jetskis may be used anywhere in the MPA. SANParks is the management agency (Contact number: 042-233 8600) together with DEAT (Contact number: 041-585 4051).

Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area

No fishing is allowed between the western bank of the mouth of the Suku River (in the District of Elliotdale) and Human’s Rock (in the district of Willowvale), including the tidal portion of the Mbashe River, extending six nautical miles seawards of the high-water mark. No jetskis may be used anywhere in the MPA. Eastern Cape Parks is the management agency (Contact number: 043-742
4450 / 047-499 7900).

HluIeka Marine Protected Area

No fishing is allowed adjacent to the Hluleka Nature Reserve (in the Ngqeleni District), extending six nautical miles seawards from the high-water mark. No jetskis may be used anywhere in the MPA. Eastern Cape Parks is the management agency (Contact number: 043-742 4450).

Pondoland MPA

No offshore fishing is allowed in the area bounded by a line running 128° from the southern head of the Sikombe River, a line running 128° from the northern head of the Mboyti River and the 1000-m isobath. No shore-based fishing is allowed along the
following four sections of coast:
1. From 31°10.3S; 030°07.5’E to 31°12.5’S; 030°05.2’E
2. From 31°15.0S; 030°02.9’E to 31°16.8’S; 030°01.2’E
3. From 31°17.6S; 030°00.6’E to 31°19.1’S; 029°58.5’E
4. From 31°25.4S; 029°51.2’E to 31°27.0’S; 029°45.5’E
No fishing is allowed in the Mtentu and Msikaba estuaries. No jetskis may be used anywhere in the MPA. DEAT and the Eastern Cape Parks Board are the management agencies (Contact number: DEAT – 043-722 8176, ECPB – 043-742 4450).

Fishing The Eastern Cape accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of information from sources.