Category: Educate

This year’s MPA Day theme — “Ocean connection needs human protection” — couldn’t have been more fitting for the Knysna Estuary. Although our estuary isn’t currently an MPA, it is a Mission Blue Hope Spot and home to an incredible variety of life, from juvenile fish nurseries to birdlife, seagrass beds, salt marshes, and more. It’s also deeply woven into the daily lives of people here — a place of food, fun, tradition, livelihoods, and learning. That’s why the Knysna Estuary Research Foundation (KERF) chose to celebrate MPA Day 2025 with a full weekend of free, public activities — designed to bring people closer to this special ecosystem, and each other. Walking the Estuary Edge We kicked things off with...

For Immediate Attention 24 July 2025 Find Your Way Around South Africa’s MPAs With the Launch of the MPA Maps! In the build-up to the 5th annual Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Day on 1 August, easy-to-read maps of South Africa’s MPAs have been released to help anglers and the public navigate these precious ‘nature reserves of the sea’. This innovative idea was brought to life by Dr Bruce Mann and Dr Ryan Daly, both of whom work at the Oceanographic Research Institute in Durban. “Despite recent interest in our MPAs – particularly as we build up to the celebration of MPA Day - many anglers, divers, skippers, and interested members of the public are still unsure of their exact locations...

The first talk in the Garden Route on rabies in Cape Fur Seals, was presented by Chanel Visser at the Knysna Yacht Club on Tuesday evening the 29th. South Africa (and Namibia) are making history with the first ever cases of rabies in ocean dwelling mammals. The talk by Senior Marine Field Ranger at Cape Nature and marine stranding expert answered countless pertinent questions on this outbreak. Raising awareness at talks like these about the vital steps that can be taken to protect oneself is a key aspect of her work. Rabies in Cape Fur Seals was first noticed four years ago when a few seals demonstrated unprovoked aggression. This virus, a wild strain possibly originating in Namibia, is endemic...

Tuesday evening saw an enlightening talk by Mark Dixon – founder of Strandloper Project – at the Knysna Yacht Club. The Idyllic, on-the-water setting, lended itself wonderfully to his talk on ocean plastic waste, and their devastating effect on the coastal ecosystem. The audience was enthralled. “I’ve learned so much this evening!” remarks a spectator, keen to get involved in conservation efforts and make a difference. From its small beginnings in January 2018, the Strandloper Project – a volunteer based NPO – has reached great heights. A growing team of citizen scientists do some outstanding, and much needed work along the coastline of South Africa. They focus on mapping ocean plastic waste, as well as Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing...

We’re excited to welcome a new volunteer to our team! Gabriela Guberman will be joining us as a photographer and storyteller. She will be documenting our talks – as well as covering our research expeditions to share our work with a wider audience. With a passion for everything related to the ocean, as well as a love of writing and photography, Gabriela will craft captivating stories to raise awareness about the Knysna Estuary. She is looking forward to sharing the ground-breaking research that is being done in this area with others, hopefully inspiring conservation through her work. As an outdoor enthusiast, Gabriela spends most of her time surrounded by nature, and is often in the water. She is an avid...