The iSimangaliso Wetlands Park authority is under public scrutiny over its loco standing and management decisions. It is clear that they are very controversial in their draconian leadership and scientific applications of human interference and greater human impact control. How ever people over look man made mistakes and hammer on the negative natural influences that have been haunting St. Lucia Estuary and The Greater Wetland Park for centuries.
One huge environmental blunder changing the World Heritage Site and its specie list for ever was the scuttling of the two massive barges that was beached just North of Cape Vidal in 2008. The question remains if a scientific entity like ORI was consulted and a proper EIA was devised and followed. The reason why the impact of this blunder is so severe is the fact that it was never disclosed if the Ballast water was drained or sanitized before the barges and their foreign content was let loose on a very fragile World Heritage Site.
Since artificial reeves are known to carry a higher than normal capacity of marine life this reeves has also contributed to the increase of marine life.
"A new species of blenny was found and is currently being described by specialists of the Smithsonian Institute in the USA. Results of this trip and future annual trips will allow us to document temporal changes in the artificial reef community. Moreover, researchers from the Department of Environment Affairs’ Marine and Coastal Management will get involved using various sonar tagging technologies to investigate the movement patterns of fish from and to the barges." read more ...
Wikepedia: The common name blenny is ambiguous at best, as it has been applied to several families of perciform marine, brackish and some freshwater fishes all sharing similar morphology (shape) and behaviour. There are six families considered "true blennies", all grouped together under the suborder Blennioidei; its members are referred to as blennioids. There are approximately 833 species in 130 genera within the suborder.
Since it is not clear and very little disclosure is offered to which sub specie was introduced to to this fragile eco system we cannot comment on the impact it might have over a long term period. By way of deduction we can valuate that this is detrimental to the environment by the strict monitoring imposed on this artificial reef.
by Petrus Vivviers
083 584 7473 -
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