14 DAY TRIAL // Recent news from South Africa says that the Prince Edward Islands are now listed as a marine protected area. The formal announcement concerning the decision to turn these two islands into a wildlife sanctuary was made by Minister Edna Molewa.
The World Wildlife Fund explains that, for the time being, the Prince Edward Islands are home to several animal species such as albatrosses, penguins, and killer whales.
Prior to the Islands' being listed as a protected area, most of the animals inhabiting these regions were greatly affected by either unsustainable or even illegal fishing activities.
This, in turn, translated into South Africa's suffering both economic and ecological losses, the World Wildlife Fund explains.
The organization is hopeful that, following the Prince Edward Islands' being declared a marine protected area, both local biodiversity and the people living in South Africa will have a lot to benefit.
“This is a historic day for marine conservation in South Africa. This declaration demonstrates South Africa’s new commitment to protecting the Prince Edward Islands, an important national heritage and a crown jewel of our oceans,” argued the Chief Executive for WWF-South Africa, Dr. Morné du Plessis.
Apart from their celebrating South Africa's decision to turn these patches of land into protected areas, the WWF Fund wishes to draw attention to the fact that similar measures meant to protect biodiversity need be implemented without further delay on a much larger scale.
As the General Director for WWF International, Jim Leape, puts it, “It is inspiring to see such environmental leadership in South Africa, and I applaud Minister Molewa for her vision.”
“Still too little of the world’s precious oceans are protected from exploitation, and this is a landmark victory for marine conservation – and hopefully a sign of more to come.”
The Prince Edward Islands are made up of two small islands (i.e. Marion Island and Prince Edward Island).
They are located in the Southern Ocean, at a distance of about 2,000 kilometers (roughly 1,242.7 miles) from South Africa's coastline.