Marine Coastal Conservation

05/11/2026

Save the Red Roman. It should not be on supermarket shelves!

04/11/2026

SLOW DOWN. GIVE WILDLIFE A CHANCE.

It is heartbreaking to see so many tortoises, birds, snakes and other small animals killed on our roads.

We cannot prevent every accident, but we can make a difference. Please slow down, stay alert and watch for wildlife crossing, especially on rural roads.

Every life matters, no matter how small.

RY VERSIGTIG. GEE DIERE ’N KANS.

Dit is hartseer om soveel skilpaaie, voëls, slange en ander klein diere dood langs ons paaie te sien.

Ons kan nie elke ongeluk voorkom nie, maar ons kan ’n verskil maak. Ry asseblief stadiger, wees bedag op jou omgewing en let op vir diere wat die pad kruis.

Elke lewe is kosbaar, maak nie saak hoe klein nie.

Hierdie foto's is almal geneem op ons paaie in Gansbaai omgewing

04/11/2026

21/10/2026

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Juanita Anne Hill, Elouice Werth, Chanté Hendricks

18/10/2026

17/10/2026

WAPFSA URGENTLY REQUESTS MORATORIUM ON FISHING FOR ALL PELAGIC SPECIES FOR MINIMUM OF SIX MONTHS

SAVE THE AFRICAN PENGUIN

WAPFSA, supported by an additional coalition of conservation organisations, respectfully yet urgently, request that the Honourable Minister Maynier implement an immediate moratorium on all pelagic species fishing within South African marine waters for a minimum of six months.

https://wapfsa.org/immediate-moratorium-on-fishing-for-all-pelagic-species-for-at-least-six-months/

To be effective, this moratorium must be comprehensive applying across all fishing sectors and methods, and encompassing both small and large pelagic species, including directed fisheries and incidental catches. Given the severity of the ecological risk, minor reductions in sardine catches or short-term, single-species suspensions are insufficient. A full moratorium is necessary to preserve marine food webs, protect dependent species, and secure the long-term livelihoods and food security of vulnerable coastal communities.

BACKGROUND

African Penguins are facing a severe crisis following a massive die-off of sardines along the coast, African penguins rely heavily on sardines as their primary energy source. Starting in late July and August 2026, dead sardines impacted by a pilchard herpesvirus pathogen washed up across a 2,600 km stretch from Namibia to the Eastern Cape The die-off triggered acute weight loss and emaciation in birds at major colonies, including Dyer Island, Stony Point Betty's Bay, Robben Island, and Algoa Bay. Rehabilitation organizations like the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) have taken in multiple severely underweight, emaciated penguins from areas like Simon's Town, Sea Point, Gqeberha, and Betty's Bay.


📸 Pete Oxford Zoologist, Wildlife Photographer, Betty’s Bay

17/10/2026

New penguin species discovered on remote island: https://buff.ly/JGCiIqs

(The rare find in the southern Indian Ocean has excited penguin specialists, but concerns remain about the effects of a warming climate on penguin survival.)

16/10/2026

Marine Coastal Conservation and ActionStation were honoured to be part of the with SafeBeat Training Co. at the Whale Coast Mall in Hermanus today. Over six hours from 9am-3pm, the CPR marathon event managed to clock 1010 minutes in CPR - completed in two-minute stints by eager members of the public, school children, paramedics, pharmacists, and safety and security personnel who came to refresh their skills or learn new ones that could save a life.

Photos: Sarah Taylor

SafeBeat Training Co.
ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd.
Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages
Overstrand Municipality
NSRI
Hermanus Public Protection (HPP)
Springboks

10/10/2026

Happy International African Penguin Awareness Day! Join us and our partner organisations in doing what we can to conserve the African Penguin and keep them swimming in our oceans. We'll be conducting cleanups in the next weeks - watch this space for details. And look out for the dates for the Penguin Palooza at the Stony Point Penguin Colony

Support our initiative by donating:
Marine Coastal Conservation
Standard Bank
Current account
Acc number: 10258538838
Branch code: Hermanus 051001
Swift code: SBZA ZA JJ
NPO number: 336-413-NPO

CapeNature Cape Whale Coast Overstrand Municipality Dyer Island Conservation Trust Marine Dynamics Academy 2 Whale Coast Conservation Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages

02/03/2026

A ghost town and many ghostnets

Sarah Taylor from Marine Coastal Conservation (MCC) writes:

A recent walk along the coast from Buffeljagsbaai towards Pearly Beach was an eye-opener – such stark beauty, an abundance of birdlife, a ghost town… and such a lot of trash as well!
Ghostnets, crayfish cages and heaps of other fishing-related paraphernalia, bottles, plastic drums and bags line what once was a pristine beach. Also, following the shoreline, we found a wave of seemingly never-ending nurdles (plastic pellets used in the manufacturing industry).
In fact, you can hardly walk a few metres without seeing more and more rubbish, with the near-endemic African black oystercatchers, kelp gulls and Cape fur seals in the background. It is sobering.
We removed what we could carry that day, but regular efforts are needed here to restore its natural beauty, as few people appear to frequent this stretch of coastline.
As part of the 100km Lighthouse 2 Lighthouse charity walk, which kicks off this week from Cape Agulhas to Danger Point, we will also be cleaning-up this section of coastline. As both a founding member of MCC and a Lighthouse Lady, I encourage others walking in this area please to take an empty bin big bag or two with you and help remove some of the waste. Much of it also comprises small plastic waste that is easier to carry.
On another note, it was an eerie experience visiting the Plaatjieskraal ghost town for the first time. Built in the 1980s as a resort, it was abandoned in in the 1990s and has since been partly reclaimed by the dunes. It is an interesting and unexpected tourist attraction, like having our very own Kolmanskop! Many thanks to coastal and fynbos walking guide Billy Robertson for showing us this area.
We live in one of the most exquisite parts of this beautiful continent. Let’s help to keep it that way! If any volunteers would like to join future MCC clean-ups in this and other areas, please contact me on WhatsApp +27 72 505 2707.
Photos: Sarah Taylor @ MCC
• The L2L is from 5-8 March 2026. To find out more and to donate to L2L, see https://lighthouse2lighthouse.co.za/

EFT details:
Account Name: Lighthouse Ladies
Bank: ABSA Branch: 632005
Savings account number: 931 063 9996
Reference: Donor’s name & walker: Sarah Taylor