MSC pre-assesment made public

Participants confirmed

Workplan made public

The FIP is in the process of developing an ETP management strategy. 

The FIP has hired a contractor to develop a biofouling management strategy aimed at minimizing potential ecosystem impacts.  

A study on the effect of suspended bivalve culture on benthic macrofauna and the bay's biogeochemistry has been peer-reviewed. The 2023 qualitative biofouling report found no significant differences in biofouling communities between Small Bay and Big Bay, identifying one alien and five invasive species.

A benthic chemical survey was conducted and found consistent redox values within the ADZ lease areas, with most not significantly differing from the prescribed threshold (-100 mV); any threshold exceedance observed had no significant difference between farmed and reference sites.

A whale disentanglement training took place in Spring 2023 which involved mussel farm operators and the South African Police Service diving unit for improved response readiness.

The FIP published its 6th quarterly monitoring report in early 2023; biofueling information is now being collected and recorded from the farms on a monthly basis

Sixteen water samples were collected at three different sites to identify total nitrogen concentration; quarterly monitoring report made available. 

Biofouling sampling of farm aquaculture structures was conducted in the Saldanha ADZ; 66 species were identified including one alien and three invasive species.

A two-day entanglement workshop was held to discuss mitigation techniques and disentanglement protocol. 

Chemical benthic survey conducted; with the exception of one site in Big Bay, none of the sulfide values measured at other impact sites exceeded the sediment quality target

SeaSearch conducted a training session with site managers on how to identify ETP species in the ADZ and  incident reporting procedures

Saldanha Bay environmental monitoring quarterly report made available for 2020-2021

Emergency reponse protocols were reviewed and commissioned following an incident of whale entanglement in Saldahna Bay in October 2021. 

Draft examples of the sightings form, incident reporting form, training manual and species guide have been developed and are expected to be completed by the end of September 2021

Flyer produced outlining the ADZ boundaries

2020 Annual report on the Saldanha Bay Aquaculture Development Zone

Site-specific Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) have been drawn up from the 13 companies within Saldanha Bay (some of which were absent at the time of the pre-assessment)

Increase to PI 2.3.2; There is a standardized system in place for recording ETP interactions. 

Increase to PI 3.2.3; Compliance with the ADZ is monitored through the contracted services of an independent Environmental Control Officer (ECO) who monitors compliance at the site level and prepares monthly compliance reports

Increase to PI 2.4.3; The baseline benthic monitoring survey (2020), the benthic chemical survey (2021), and the full macrofauna survey for 2021 have been completed providing information on the habitat.

Increase to PI 3.2.2; The Aquaculture Development Zone Management Committee (AMC) and the Aquaculture Development Zone Consultative Forum (CF) were formalized under the ADZ management system and have a clear decision-making and consultation process.