Latest news with #NickyStander
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New ruling offers chance at survival for decimated species: 'A significant step forward'
The endangered African penguin has a renewed hope of survival thanks to a March 18 ruling limiting fishing around its breeding colonies, the Guardian reported. There were 1 million breeding pairs of African penguins in the wild 100 years ago. Now, there are fewer than 10,000. The species has been declining at an average of 7.9% yearly and could become extinct by 2035 without intervention. South African conservationists and the fishing industry have disagreed for years about the role of fishing in the penguins' decline. The area around Robben and Bird Islands, where the penguins nest, has been used for sardine and anchovy fishing for many years. Now, thanks to a judicial ruling, a no-fishing zone extending for 12 miles around each island will protect the birds from interference, while smaller protected zones have been established around secondary sites important to the penguins. "Today's order is a significant step forward in our fight to save the African Penguin from extinction," said Nicky Stander, head of conservation at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, per the Guardian. "However, while we celebrate today's success, we remain acutely aware that our journey is far from over. The threats facing the African penguin are complex and ongoing." Indeed, fishing isn't the only issue impacting penguin populations. The Earth's rising temperature, land predators, and noise pollution all play a part. African penguins also face physical pollution including plastic trash and other forms of waste — like this penguin that found a disposable vape in its environment. Still, the new fishing restrictions will help, and they could clarify just how large a role the industry plays in the African penguin's decline. Two fishing industry groups, the South African Pelagic Fishing Industry Association and the Eastern and Southern Cape Pelagic Association, were pleased with the chance to prove their activities are not the issue, the Guardian reported. "The perception that the fishing industry (or that fishing near to breeding sites) is the primary cause of the decline in the penguin population is a false one," they said. "We are especially pleased that this settlement will now allow scarce resources to be used constructively to scientifically determine the principal factors causing the decline in the penguin population and to ameliorate those where possible," the statement continued. The restriction will apply for 10 years, subject to a review at the six-year mark. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
MTV Lebanon
18-03-2025
- General
- MTV Lebanon
Last-minute deal to protect African penguins from extinction
Six key breeding areas are to be safeguarded to help save the African penguin, following a landmark court order in South Africa. Last year scientists warned that the species was declining by around 8% every year and could become extinct within a decade. The court has imposed no-fishing zones around the breeding colonies to prevent so-called purse seine fishing vessels, which use large nets, from catching sardines and anchovies for the next 10 years. The order is the result of an out-of-court settlement reached before a three-day High Court hearing was due to start between conservation groups, the commercial fishing industry and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). Last year, BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) started the legal action - the first case of its kind in South Africa. They alleged that ministers had failed to adequately protect the endangered species after failing to implement key recommendations from a scientific panel brought in by the government to assess the risk to the African penguin. They argued the continuation of "inadequate" interim closures to fishing vessels around the breeding colonies, which are mainly in the Western Cape, had been allowed. The Biodiversity Law Centre, which represents the groups, said the number of penguins had dwindled from 15,000 in 2018 to just under 9,000 at the end of 2023. It said if the current rates of decline persisted the African penguin could be extinct by 2035. The order, issued by the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, outlines no-go zones for the commercial sardine and anchovy fishing vessels around six key African penguin breeding colonies: Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island. The DFFE has two weeks to make sure the permit conditions and the closures are implemented. Nicky Stander, head of conservation at Sanccob, said the journey was far from over. "The threats facing the African penguin are complex and ongoing - and the order itself requires monitoring, enforcement and continued co-operation from industry and the government processes which monitor and allocate sardine and anchovy populations for commercial purposes," she said. The anchovy and sardine fishing industry said it was pleased an agreement had been made, saying the decision was halfway between the interim closures and the area closures requested by conservation groups. It also added that the perception that the fishing industry was the primary cause of the decline of the penguin population was false. The order will last for the next 10 years, bringing it to 2035 which is when scientists predicted the penguin would be extinct. Its progress will be reviewed six years from now.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Last-minute deal to protect African penguins from extinction
Six key breeding areas are to be safeguarded to help save the African penguin, following a landmark court order in South Africa. Last year scientists warned that the species was declining by around 8% every year and could become extinct within a decade. The court has imposed no-fishing zones around the breeding colonies to prevent so-called purse seine fishing vessels, which use large nets, from catching sardines and anchovies for the next 10 years. The order is the result of an out-of-court settlement reached before a three-day High Court hearing was due to start between conservation groups, the commercial fishing industry and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). The fight to save the African penguin Saving South Africa's abandoned chicks Bees kill endangered South African penguins Last year, BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) started the legal action - the first case of its kind in South Africa. They alleged that ministers had failed to adequately protect the endangered species after failing to implement key recommendations from a scientific panel brought in by the government to assess the risk to the African penguin. They argued the continuation of "inadequate" interim closures to fishing vessels around the breeding colonies, which are mainly in the Western Cape, had been allowed. The Biodiversity Law Centre, which represents the groups, said the number of penguins had dwindled from 15,000 in 2018 to just under 9,000 at the end of 2023. It said if the current rates of decline persisted the African penguin could be extinct by 2035. The order, issued by the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, outlines no-go zones for the commercial sardine and anchovy fishing vessels around six key African penguin breeding colonies: Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island. The DFFE has two weeks to make sure the permit conditions and the closures are implemented. Nicky Stander, head of conservation at Sanccob, said the journey was far from over. "The threats facing the African penguin are complex and ongoing - and the order itself requires monitoring, enforcement and continued co-operation from industry and the government processes which monitor and allocate sardine and anchovy populations for commercial purposes," she said. The anchovy and sardine fishing industry said it was pleased an agreement had been made, saying the decision was halfway between the interim closures and the area closures requested by conservation groups. It also added that the perception that the fishing industry was the primary cause of the decline of the penguin population was false. The order will last for the next 10 years, bringing it to 2035 which is when scientists predicted the penguin would be extinct. Its progress will be reviewed six years from now. Pink flamingos 'seized from smugglers' in Tunisia Elephant tusks worth $11m destroyed from African stockpile How an undercover sting outwitted pangolin traffickers Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
