Southern Estuarine Rehabilitation Action Group - SERAG

18/02/2026

Following the Public Participation Process for the updated Estuary Management & Maintenance Plan (EMMP), we’re pleased to share a strong and encouraging outcome.

All public comments have now been collated and formally addressed by Anchor Environmental. Dozens of submissions were received - and not a single negative comment. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive of the proposed revisions.

Importantly, aside from a technical query regarding water depth, no concerns were raised by public sector stakeholders during the official comment period. This process exists specifically to surface objections or risks - and none were submitted.

Mossel Bay Municipality has expressed full support and is eager to move toward implementation as soon as possible.

This is a significant step forward for responsible, science-based estuary management.

18/02/2026

The Estuary Management & Maintenance Plan (EMMP) is not just a policy document - it is the operational framework that governs how the Great Brak River Estuary is managed.

The updated EMMP sets measurable trigger levels for breaching the mouth, establishes sediment removal protocols, and requires structured water quality monitoring - including parameters such as salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and chlorophyll.

It also clearly defines which authorities are responsible for implementation and oversight.

Why is this important?

Because without a structured plan, estuary management becomes reactive. With an approved EMMP, decisions are based on ecological thresholds and data - not pressure or guesswork.

If implemented as designed, the plan supports a predominantly open estuary system, improved water quality, and greater ecological stability.

02/02/2026

🌍 World Wetlands Day | 2 February

Today is World Wetlands Day, and we’re sharing a quick behind-the-scenes look at some of the work happening in the Great Brak Estuary.

These photos show the Aquatroll 600 being serviced. This device plays a big role in helping us understand what’s happening in the estuary.

The Aquatroll samples the river water every three minutes and sends the data hourly to scientists at Anchor Environmental. It measures things like temperature, salinity, oxygen levels, dissolved solids, and chlorophyll, giving us a real-time picture of estuary health—whether the mouth is open or closed.

Keeping the equipment well maintained means the data stays reliable. And good data helps inform better decisions about how the estuary is managed and protected.

11/08/2023

Yet another successful breach on 5th August

16/06/2023

The Great Brak River mouth has been open for a few months now and breaching naturally. This continued involvement in our estuary is thanks to a successful partnership between Mosselbay Municipality and SERAG. SERAG is a registered NPO and any donations to help preserve our estuary, qualify for a section 18a donations tax certificate.

31/03/2023

The water quality instrument in Great Brak measures the following parameters. These are available in real time and are uploaded hourly via satellite connection.
1. Depth
2. Temperature
3. Salinity
4. Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
5. Chlorophyll a relative fluorescence

24/02/2023

16/02/2023

Real-Time Water Monitoring

To motivate for action to rehabilitate the estuary - including additional river mouth breaches - we need to provide scientific evidence of environmental decline. To achieve this, Serag has invested in a cutting-edge Aquatroll 600 water monitoring device. Designed and built in the United States the Aquatroll samples the river water every three minutes, and transmits data to scientists at Anchor Environmental every hour. The samples include temperature, salinity, oxygen content, dissolved solids, and chlorophyll - and together the data paints a real-time picture of the health of the river. Anchor interprets the data and communicates it to (among others) CSIR, the Department of the Environment, Cape Nature, and Mossel Bay Municipality.