| South Africa |
COELACANTHS FOUND IN ST LUCIA MARINE AREA
Details from www.divethebig5.co.za, South Africa. |
|
Photographs of the Coelacanths discovered off St Lucia can be seen on the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism's website www.environment.gov.za |
Three live Coelacanths have been discovered in the St Lucia Marine Protected Area, South Africa just off the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, by a group of recreational divers, the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism announced today (Nov 2000). Releasing photographs of these ancient and endangered fish, the Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa said that this was an exciting discovery and presents major opportunities for research and tourism. This will add another attraction to the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, which is South Africa's first World Heritage Site and the largest wetland in the southern hemisphere. Thus far, the 360-million-year-old species has been found alive in only two countries: Comoros and Indonesia. |
| A group of recreational divers (Pieter Venter, Peter Smith, Dennis Harding, Peter Timm, Erna Smith, Etienne le Roux, Christo Serfontein and Martin Bench) discovered three living coelacanths at 107 m depth on Monday 27 November 2000 in St Lucia Marine Protected Area, five km north of Sodwana and 800 m from the shore. The divers took approximately one minute of video footage of the fish. Dr Phil Heemstra of the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology positively identified the species as a Coelacanth. Sadly, one of the divers Dennis Harding died of a cerebral embolism, as a result of an uncontrolled ascent. | |
|
Given the
international prominence of the 'living fossil', there will be great pressure by
local and international dive operators and researchers to gain access to the
site of the discovery, Minister Moosa has declared an Emergency Measure, in
terms of the Marine Living Resources Act (1998), to protect the living
Coelacanths found at St Lucia. |
|
|
Coelacanths are recognized as an
endangered species and Minister Moosa said that urgent control is required to
prevent disturbance of the fishes, reduce the likelihood of additional diver
fatalities, ensure that St Lucia Marine Protected Area benefits from the
discovery, and secure research rights for South African research
organizations. JLB Smith described the initial discovery of a Coelacanth taken by a trawler near East London in 1938. Subsequent discoveries of live Coelacanths of the Comoro Islands suggested that the East London fish was a stray. It was feared that the group off the Comoros were an isolated relic, now endangered by scientific interest and collectors. IUCN have classified Coelacanths as vulnerable. The Comoran population is estimated to be between 200 and 500 fish. In 1998, a discovery of a live Coelacanth off the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia suggested that the species is more widespread than originally thought. It has now been shown by genetic studies that the Indonesian species is different from the Comoran species. The recent discovery off St Lucia is equally exciting, and suggests that the East London catch may not have been a stray, and that Coelacanths could be widespread along the western Indian Ocean. |
|
|
The preferred habitat of Coelacanth was thought
to be on reef, at the edge of the continental shelves depths of between 200 and
600 m. The St Lucia discovery is the shallowest find so far, and the only
population that can be accessed by divers. Coelacanths at the other sites can
only be visited by submersible craft. Being at such a shallow site, the St
Lucia fish are the most accessible Coelacanths in the world. St Lucia also
offers better diving and research support than any of the other sites.
Consequently, there are great opportunities for research and photography. Diving
at depths in excess of 60 m requires specialist training and the use of Trimix
(a mixture of Oxygen, Nitrogen and Helium). The department is looking at regulations that will bring the area under immediate control, by limiting all diving and research activity, until such time as we can develop a system of proper control and establish research rights. The discovery occurred in the C zone of the sanctuary (multiple use zone) where diving and pelagic fishing is permitted. |
|
|
|
Present activities in St Lucia and Maputaland will not be
greatly affected by the emergency measure. Dive operators seldom take clients
beyond 60 m depth, which is the limit for compressed air and Nitrox diving. Bottom fishing is already prohibited in the
MPA. Issued by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, 1 December 2000. For more information please contact the Media Liaison Director: Onkgopotse J.J Tabane: 082 465 6166/ 021 465 7240 Dive The Big 5, PO Box 2209, White River 1240, Republic of South Africa Tel: +27 13 750 1832, Fax: +27 13 750 0018, Cell/mobile: +27 83 700 4597 URL: www.divethebig5.co.za |
|
|
