At a hand-over ceremony of the Eden District Coastal Management Programme at a recent GRI working session (Garden Route Initiative), the coastal B municipalities received the final draft of the integrated coastal management programme for the Eden Coast.
The document will now undergo government gazetting and after the final 60-day commenting period, will be signed off by Minister Anton Bredell, Western Cape Mi-nister of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, making this the first coastal management programme for South Africa under the Integrated Coastal Management Act of 2009.
To date, management of the coastal zone has been undertaken in a fragmented approach as a result of the structure of the previous dispensation. Under the previous dispensation no less than six local government administrations were responsible for the management of the coast, and within each administration a multitude of departments and line functions.
Eden believes the integration of line functions and the recognition that the coastal zone is a distinct management area with specific management needs, will be addressed by its coastal programme.
The programme offers a unique opportunity to introduce a paradigm shift, including the recognition of the coastal asset in terms of economic and social development through responsibility, accountability and action.
Centralised planning and budgeting around coastal issues; the equitable access to our coast and its associated economic and social opportunities is key. The programme offers a participative, open and transparent approach to coastal zone management in addition to creative, dynamic and new management.
According to Eden Environmental Management Officer, Vernon Gibbs-Halls the coastal zone of Eden is a unique and valuable asset. "If managed effectively and correctly, it will continue to offer a multitude of social, environmental and economic opportunities to local, national and international communities. For this strategy to be successful, it requires commitment of capacity and resources by council, and the relevant line functions to the management of the coastal zone. Further, a successful strategy will depend on the esta- blishment of solid partnerships with organisations and communities throughout the Eden Municipal District."
At the hand-over of the Eden District Coastal Management Programme are from left: Shagon Carelse (Hessequa Municipality), Carli Bunding-Venter (George Municipality), Warren Manuel (Mossel Bay Municipality), Vernon Gibbs-Halls (Eden Municipality), Emor Nel (Mayor of Hessequa), Jonathan Mabula (Knysna Municipality) and Councillor L Hart (Knysna Municipality).
