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Collaborative research

Table of Contents

  • Coastal Living of the Future: Garden Route 2050
  • Coastal Diversity Research
      • Polychaete species used as bait: taxonomy, population structure, ecology and management
        • Description
        • Period
        • Contact
        • Past research outputs
  • Marine Debris Research
      • Ghost fishing impacts from shore-based angling
        • Description
        • Period
        • Contact
  • Current projects
      • Project title: Past, present and future status, as well as the importance of the endangered white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus to aquatic conservation in the Knysna Estuary
      • Project title: Fish habitat associations in the marine bay region of the Knysna Estuary
      • Project title: Macroinvertebrates associated with seagrass at point-source pollutant inputs in the Knysna Estuary
      • Project title: Conservation and management of the endangered seagrass Zostera capensis and associated macroinvertebrates in the Knysna, Swartvlei and Keurbooms estuaries
  • Completed projects

Coastal Living of the Future: Garden Route 2050

We have entered the Anthropocene and coastal communities in particular will face increasing environmental impacts ranging from climate change to biodiversity loss. Are coastal communities prepared to stand by and watch the deterioration of their environment, or will human ingenuity triumph? Coastal Living of the Future will develop a multi-disciplinary, community-based approach to investigate what the future holds, and what can and should be done now to achieve a sustainable future. Knysna, South Africa, will be used as a complex social-ecological coastal system where different futures will be envisioned by combining both scenario research and ecological modelling. Water will be used as an overarching theme linking all social, economic and environmental aspects common to coastal communities globally. The development of this approach in utilising the future to inform the present, will provide an actionable conservation roadmap for coastal communities across the globe.

Coastal Diversity Research

GOAL: Develop applied research and tools to determine the status, threats and conservation needs of coastal ecosystems to guide future biodiversity conservation, education and management.

Polychaete species used as bait: taxonomy, population structure, ecology and management

Description

Polychaetes are frequently used as bait by recreational and subsistence fishers. However, effective management of this resource is hampered by inadequate information related to actual identities of all species used, their distribution, biology, and population structure. Furthermore, Diopatra cf. aciculate that occurs in Knysna Estuary is an alien. Thus, more detailed information concerning the ecological impact that it may be having, its reproductive strategies, timing of recruitment and dispersal throughout the estuary (all information that can inform effective management) is not known.

This study will therefore:

  1. Address the taxonomy and phylogeography of five widely distributed species in the genera Gunnarea and Marphysa, to increase our understanding of the population structures of the different species and consequently the vulnerability of individual populations to overexploitation;
  2. Investigate the ecological impact of D. cf. aciculata as an ecological engineer, a resource and consumer, to determine how indigenous species in the estuary may be affected by the activity of the alien; and
  3. Investigate the reproductive strategies and dispersal of D. cf. aciculata to identify times when the species might be most vulnerable to management, and possibly source and or sink subpopulations that may be targeted for management. This project proposes to use a combination of standard morphological, Sanger sequencing and histological techniques, and stable isotope and microsatellite analyses.

Period

2015-2024

Contact

Carol Simon at CSIMON@sun.ac.za

Past research outputs

Simon, C., du Toit, A.N., Smith, M.K.S., Claassens, L., Smith, F., Smith, P. 2019. Bait collecting by subsistence and recreational fishers in Knysna Estuary may impact management and conservation. African Zoology. 54(2): 91-103ย  https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2019.1608862

van Rensburg, H., Richoux, N.B. & Simon, C.A. 2023. The trophic position and isotopic niche of a cryptogenic tube-building polychaete in a protected clear-water estuarine bay. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 295: 108549. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771423003396?via%3Dihub

van Rensburg, H., Matthhee, C.A. & Simon, C. 2020. Moonshine worms ( Diopatra aciculata : Onuphidae, Annelida) in the Knysna Estuary, South Africa; taxonomy and distribution. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 100(6): 1-11. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-marine-biological-association-of-the-united-kingdom/article/abs/moonshine-worms-diopatra-aciculata-onuphidae-annelida-in-the-knysna-estuary-south-africa-taxonomy-and-distribution/FE6D3C64D4264D29FF9681B3FAF78129

Schoeman, S. & Simon, C.A. 2023. Live to Die Another Day: Regeneration in Diopatra aciculata Knox and Cameron, 1971 (Annelida: Onuphidae) Collected as Bait in Knysna Estuary, South Africa. Biology 12(3): 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12030483

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Marine Debris Research

GOAL: Develop applied research and tools to determine the nature, extent and implications of the growing impact from marine debris on coastal ecosystems to guide future conservation, education and management.

Ghost fishing impacts from shore-based angling

Description

Negative environmental impacts that result from discarded or lost fishing gear such as the entanglement of animals, are known as ghost fishing and has become a problem of increasing concern. Ghost fishing is, however, not only an โ€˜industryโ€™ problem, but lost and/or discarded fishing gear that originate from shore-based angling can contribute significantly to ghost fishing. Even though ghost fishing and its impacts are well studied internationally, a dearth of information on this topic exists in South Africa. This project will conduct a baseline assessment of the occurrence and extent of ghost fishing gear within the Knysna estuaryโ€“ focusing on popular shore-based angling sites. An attempt will be made to differentiate between types of angling gear (subsistence vs recreational) and which is the greatest source of ghost gear in the estuary.

As part of this project, we are working with the Strandloper Project (www.strandloperproject.org) to investigate the occurrence and impact from ghost fishing gear along the South African coast. The Knysna Basin Project participated in a 210 km coastal hike in May 2019 to document all ghost fishing gear found along the route and to help raise awareness of the threat from ghost fishing gear and marine debris. The Strandloper Project collaboration continues with regular diving surveys at selected sites along the Garden Route.

Period

Ongoing

Contact

Mark Dixon at ghostfishing@strandloperproject.org

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Current projects

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Project title: Past, present and future status, as well as the importance of the endangered white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus to aquatic conservation in the Knysna Estuary

PhD Candidate: Jessica Seath 2025-2027 (Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University)

Supervisors: Prof. Alan Whitfield, Prof. Nikki James, Prof. Amber-Robyn Childs

Project Description: This study will address the significant decline of the white steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus) population, focusing on its status in the Knysna Estuary. The broad aims of this thesis are to determine the status of the white steenbras in the Knysna estuary through the review of our current knowledge on their recruitment patterns, habitat occupation and stock status, to determine their feeding ecology in Knysna estuary at different life stages and understand the potential competitive interactions with other sparids and to elucidate their vulnerability to fishing pressure and the potential effectiveness of an Estuarine Protected Area (EPA) approach to white steenbras long-term survival. For further information on this project see: The White Steenbras Project

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Project title: Fish habitat associations in the marine bay region of the Knysna Estuary

MSc candidate: Lutholwethu Mabaleka (Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University)

Supervisors: Prof. Nicola James, Dr Phakama Nodo, Prof. Amber Childs, Kyle Smith

Project description: The main aim of this project will be to examine the nature of habitat usage by juvenile fish in the marine bay region of the Knysna Estuary and to compare the nursery role of Zostera capensis and Asparagopsis taxiformis within the estuary. This aim will be achieved by quantifying fish assemblages (relative abundance, richness and size structure) across the different habitat types in the marine bay region using seine nets in each habitat type and using calibrated stereo Remote Underwater Video (sRUV) systems in Z. capensis and A. taxiformis beds.

The research objectives of the study include:
โ€ข To assess and determine fish assemblages (species richness and composition, relative abundance and size structure) in different habitat types in the marine bay region.
โ€ข To measure and compare the nursery function of seagrass Z. capensis and macroalgae A. taxiformis for juvenile fish (species richness and composition, relative abundance, size structure and behavior).

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Project title: Macroinvertebrates associated with seagrass at point-source pollutant inputs in the Knysna Estuary

MSc candidate: Saudiqa Benjamin 2023-2024 (Zoology, Nelson Mandela University)
Supervisors: Dr Gavin Rishworth, Prof. Janine Adams, Dr Lucienne Human
Project description: Seagrasses provide many important ecosystem services e.g., habitat to macrofauna and regulating water quality, thereby maintaining ecosystem health. The aim of this study is to investigate how the endangered eelgrass Zostera capensis acts as a pollutant filter to reduce point-source watershed pollution at the Knysna Estuary, South Africa. Further aims include investigating other associated metrics such as sediment characteristics and how these influence the benthic macroinvertebrates associated with
seagrass habitat. Six polluted sites (point-sources) have been identified along the Knysna Estuary. The study will focus on how seagrass responds to nutrient input by primarily assessing concentration of nutrients (pollutants) within the seagrass tissue and sediment and additionally how the benthic macroinvertebrates vary in community composition at these point-sources sites. This research would contribute to providing conservation strategies for the protection of Z. capensis to improve water quality and ensure longevity of ecosystem services. It is funded by the MeerWissen SOMWAT Project: Nature based Solutions for Mitigation of Watershed Pollution.

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Project title: Conservation and management of the endangered seagrass Zostera capensis and associated macroinvertebrates in the Knysna, Swartvlei and Keurbooms estuaries

MSc candidate: Minyonne Verster 2024-2025 (Zoology, Nelson Mandela University)
Supervisors: Dr Gavin Rishworth, Prof. Janine Adams, Prof. Richard Barnes
Project description: The dwarf eelgrass (Zostera capensis) occurs in the intertidal zone of permanently open estuaries but is severely fragmented. Due to localised threats and a fluctuating population, this species is listed as regionally Endangered. Conservation and management of the Zostera capensis is necessary. This project will investigate whether the current estuary management activities are adequate in the Knysna, Keurbooms and Swartvlei Estuary to protect the endangered seagrass Z. capensis and associated macroinvertebrates. The aims of this project are to determine the distribution, abundance, current status and threats of Z. capensis, as well as investigate the macroinvertebrate diversity associated with Z. capensis in the Knysna, Swartvlei and Keurbooms estuaries. Restoration measures to enhance ecosystem service provision will be identified as well as zonation of estuarine activities and other conservation strategies. This study will provide input to the larger MeerWissen funded SOMWAT Project (Nature based Solutions for Mitigation of Watershed Pollution) that is investigating seagrass as a buffer for land-based pollution. The results will aid in informing future estuary zonation and management plans.

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Completed projects

  • Reproductive and local dispersal patterns of Diopatra aciculata in the Knysna Estuary. (Stephanie Schoeman, Prof. Carol Simon – Stellenbosch University).
  • Trophic ecology of Diopatra aciculata, a non-indigenous polychaete worm used as bait in South African estuaries. (Hendrรฉ van Rensburg, Prof. Carol Simon – Stellenbosch University).
  • Spatial analysis of littoral and demersal fish assemblages within the Knysna Estuary system. (Andrew Meiklejohn, Prof. Amber-Robyn Childs, Kyle Smith, Ian Meiklejohn – Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University).
  • The use of gabions as a tool for ecological engineering: evidence from a temperate estuary. (Jessica Seath, Dr Louw Claassens, Dr Louise Firth, Prof. William Froneman – Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University).
  • Ocean sprawl in the Keurbooms estuary: Ecological efficacy of different artificial structures used in erosion control. (Nina de Villiers, Dr Louw Claassens, Prof. Alan Hodgson – Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University)
  • Microplastic Pollution in the Knysna Estuary: Impacts on Syngnathids and Larval Fish (Merrisa Naidoo,
  • The role of seagrass meadows in the accumulation of microplastics: Insights from a South African estuary (Bianca J. Boshoff, Tamara B. Robinson, Sophie von der Heyden – Stellenbosch University)
  • Assessing the population dynamics of the Knysna Dwarf Chameleon, Bradypodion damaranum
  • Conducting a baseline assessment of the occurrence and extent of ghost fishing gear in the Knysna estuary
  • An investigation of ocean sprawl in the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve
  • (Meta)barcoding of seagrass communities: comparative approaches for biodiversity planning
  • The economic value of Zostera capensis in South Africa: desktop methods investigation
  • Stormwater management using hydrological modelling and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
Knysna Basin Project Graduate Research
Knysna Basin Project Graduate Research
Knysna Basin Project Graduate Research
Knysna Basin Project Graduate Research
Knysna Basin Project Graduate Research
Knysna Basin Project Graduate Research

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Rhodes University
MySchool

Knysna Municipality
Knysna Marathon Club
Barloworld

Rufford Foundation

National Geographic

SUPPORT

๐ŸŒฟ Closing Talk of the Town Tuesday for 2024! ๐ŸŒŠ

Donโ€™t miss our final Talk of the Town for the year, featuring the renowned Professor Richard Barnes! Join us as he delves into the fascinating world of Knysnaโ€™s seagrass beds and estuarine invertebrate fauna. With decades of expertise in marine ecology, Professor Barnes will guide us through the vital role of seagrass in Knysna, from its ecological importance to the unique patterns of snails, crabs, and other invertebrates that call it home.

๐Ÿ“… Date: 26th November, Tuesday
๐Ÿ•• Time: 17H30 for 18H00
๐Ÿ“ Venue: Knysna Yacht Club Restaurant
๐Ÿ’ฐ Entry: R70 per person (kids under 12 free)
๐Ÿ” Extras: Cash bar & burgers for sale!

๐ŸŽŸ Reserve your spot now! Book on our website under the education banner!

Letโ€™s wrap up 2024 with insights that deepen our connection to Knysnaโ€™s unique ecosystems. This is a talk you wonโ€™t want to miss!

#knysna #KnysnaLiving #knysnalagoon #seagrass #conservation 

@knysnayachtclub @oceanodysseyknysna
๐ŸŒŠ Talk of the Town Tuesday is back! ๐Ÿฆญ Join ๐ŸŒŠ Talk of the Town Tuesday is back! ๐Ÿฆญ

Join us for an exciting and insightful evening as Chanel Visser, Senior Marine Field Ranger for CapeNature, unpacks the hidden threat of unprovoked aggression in Cape Fur Seals. With new observations sparking concerns of a potential epidemic, Chanel will dive deep into the implications of seal/human conflicts and share solutions on managing this issue.

๐Ÿ—“ Date: 29th October, Tuesday
โฐ Time: 17H30 for 18H00
๐Ÿ“ Venue: Knysna Yacht Club Restaurant
๐Ÿ’ธ Entry: R70 per person (kids under 12 free)
๐Ÿ” Bonus: Cash bar & burger night!

Proceeds fund the Talks Educational Project, bringing these important discussions to local schools! Help us make a difference while learning about crucial environmental issues.

๐ŸŽŸ Secure your spot now! Click here to book: www.knysnaestuary.co.za/product/talk-of-the-town-tuesday-october/

Hurry, seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Donโ€™t miss out on this chance to be part of something bigger!

@knysnayachtclub @oceanodysseyknysna #knysna #knysnaevents #knysnaestuary
๐Ÿšจ Important Announcement ๐Ÿšจ Unfortunately, d ๐Ÿšจ Important Announcement ๐Ÿšจ

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, tomorrow's talk has been postponed. Our scheduled speaker is unwell and unable to attend from Cape Town. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We are booked up for the rest of the year so we will postpone this particular talk to early next year and will announce the new date then.

Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you at the rescheduled event!

Stay tuned for updates!

Knysna Yacht Club Ocean Odyssey Knysna
๐ŸŒŸ Talk of the Town Tuesday: The Cradle of Culin ๐ŸŒŸ Talk of the Town Tuesday: The Cradle of Culinary Culture ๐ŸŒŸ

Join us for an engaging and educational evening at Knysna Yacht Club, where experts will dive into the fascinating relationship between culinary arts, tourism, and conservation in South Africa! Discover how eco-tourism, culinary adventures, and cultural heritage are shaping a new era of sustainable tourism in the Cape Floral Region.

๐Ÿ—“ Date: Tuesday, 17th September
๐Ÿ•” Time: 17:30 for 18:00
๐Ÿ“ Location: Knysna Yacht Club Restaurant
๐Ÿ’ฐ Cost: R70 per person (Kids under 12 are free)
๐Ÿ” Extras: Cash bar & Burger Night

๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Limited seats available! Secure your spot by booking online or pay at the door. Donโ€™t miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn and contribute to our educational projects. Proceeds help fund talks for local schools, so your attendance makes a difference!

๐Ÿ‘‰ Click here to book your tickets now: www.knysnaestuary.co.za/product/talk-of-the-town-tuesday-september/๐Ÿ‘ˆ

Brought to you by: Knysna Estuary Research Foundation, Knysna Yacht Club , and Ocean Odyssey Knysna 

#Knysna #TalkOfTheTownTuesday #EcoTourism #CulinaryCulture #SustainableTourism #CommunitySupport
๐ŸŸโœจโ€œIโ€™ve learned so much this evening!โ€ ๐ŸŸโœจโ€œIโ€™ve learned so much this evening!โ€ remarks a spectator, keen to get involved in conservation efforts and make a difference. ๐ŸŸโœจ

For the full lowdown on our most recent 'Talk of the Town Tuesday' event you can read it on our blog on our website (link in bio).

Ocean Odyssey Knysna Knysna Yacht Club #environmentaleducation #estuarineconservation #knysnaestuary #talkofthetowntuesday
โœจ๐ŸณWeโ€™re excited to welcome a new volunteer โœจ๐ŸณWeโ€™re excited to welcome a new volunteer to the Knysna Estuary Research Foundation! Gabriela Guberman will be helping us share our work with a wider audience, by capturing photos and writing stories about the talks we host, as well as our ongoing research projects. Gabriela has a passion for marine conservation and storytelling, as well as a deeply rooted love for the outdoors โ€“ especially the ocean. She will be covering the talks hosted by the Foundation, as well as documenting the scientific research conducted by our team. Through a combination of writing and photography, she will provide an inside look at the ground-breaking science taking place in the Knysna Estuary. We look forward to seeing how she will bring this research to life, educating our community about the critical work being done to preserve this beautiful and essential ecosystem.โœจ๐Ÿณ

Read more about Gigi on our website (link in bio)!
๐ŸŒŠ Join us for an Inspiring Talk on Coastal Cons ๐ŸŒŠ Join us for an Inspiring Talk on Coastal Conservation! ๐ŸŒŠ

Next Tuesday the 20th, we're excited to host Mark, the founder of the Strandloper Project, for a captivating talk titled "Coastal Research Expedition: Mapping Ocean Plastic Waste and ALDFG in the Southern Cape." ๐ŸŸ

Mark started the Strandloper Project in 2018, aiming to clean up snagged fishing tackle from the reefs at Gerickeโ€™s Point. With his background as a CCAMLR Scientific Observer in the Ross Sea, Mark recognized the opportunity to study the impacts of ghost fishing, lead poisoning, and entanglements caused by recreational fishing. His work soon expanded to include extensive coastal research expeditions, mapping the density and distribution of ocean plastic and abandoned fishing gear along our shores. ๐ŸŒ

As a passionate naturalist and active field researcher in various environmental fields, including ornithology and marine science, Mark brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. He's dedicated to the belief that understanding our environment starts with diligent observation and hands-on research.

Buy your ticket here: www.knysnaestuary.co.za/product/talk-of-the-town-tuesday-august/

๐Ÿ“… When: 20th August 2024
๐Ÿ“ Where: Knysna Yacht Club
๐Ÿ’ต Cost: R70 (All proceeds will fund a similar talk for underprivileged schools in the area)

Don't miss this chance to learn about the challenges facing our coastlines and how you can be part of the solution. See you there! ๐Ÿ‘ Learn more and follow updates: www.knysnaestuary.co.za/talk-of-the-town-tuesday/ 

@Knysna Yacht Club Ocean Odyssey Knysna
โœจ๐ŸณWhales and Human Culture! WOW! What absolut โœจ๐ŸณWhales and Human Culture! WOW! What absolutely spectacular talks by Dr. Deborah Robertson-Andersson - we were blown away with just how much we are connected to these gentle giants. We will definitely be bringing Deborah back for more talks.

We hosted two talks - one at Knysna Yacht Club (just the best venue) and our second talk was for the grade 4 - 7 scholars at Knysna Primary School and what fun was had inspiring our future leaders and marine conservationists! โœจ๐Ÿณ

If you want to find out more about this initiative and our intentions as we grow it, please do visit: www.knysnaestuary.co.za/talk-of-the-town-tuesday/

Stay tuned for the next talk topic and the next school or community group that will be receiving a talk. 

@oceanodysseyknysna @Ocean Odyssey Knysna @knysnayachtclub #knysnaestuary #knysnalagoon #estuarineconservation #knysna
โœจTalk of the Town Tuesday is back on Tuesday the โœจTalk of the Town Tuesday is back on Tuesday the 30th of July!!โœจ

It's with great excitement that we are welcoming back Dr. Deborah Robertson-Andersson. She is a renowned expert in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture and has shifted her focus towards promoting human connection with nature. In recent years, she has been dedicated to educating communities along the Southern African coastline about the majestic humpback whale. Her mission is to raise awareness about their migration patterns, historical significance, current conservation status, and the importance of preserving their existence for future generations.

โœจโœจAND on top of this we are starting an initiative to bring these talks to our local schools, the proceeds from your ticket purchase will help us make this happen, learn more here: www.knysnaestuary.co.za/talk-of-the-town-tuesday/ 

Do join us as Deborah shares her valuable knowledge. 
Book online to secure a seat: www.knysnaestuary.co.za/product/talk-of-the-town-tuesday-july/

 #knysnawhalewatching #whalewatching #gardenroute #knysnawhales #knysna #whalewachtingknysna #oceanodysseyknysna
๐ŸŸ๐ŸŸWe are excited to announce our new flagshi ๐ŸŸ๐ŸŸWe are excited to announce our new flagship initiative, the White Steenbras Project, dedicated to studying and preserving the White Steenbras in the Knysna Estuary. This project utilizes cutting-edge acoustic telemetry technology to monitor the movements and behaviors of these fascinating fish. ๐ŸŸ๐ŸŸ

Find out more on the link in bio - navigate to research tab.

#knysnaestuary #whitesteenbras #estuarineecology #marineconservation
๐ŸŒŸ Thank You for a Successful White Steenbras Ta ๐ŸŒŸ Thank You for a Successful White Steenbras Talk! ๐ŸŒŸ

A huge thank you to everyone who attended our recent talk on the endangered White Steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus). Your presence and enthusiasm made the event a massive success! We are incredibly grateful for your donations, which will significantly support our ongoing conservation efforts.

We can't wait to share more detailed information about this vital project with you. For those who want to learn more, please visit our dedicated webpage www.knysnaestuary.co.za/the-white-steenbras-project/

Stay tuned for updates on our next exciting talk and the initiative we have planned alongside it. We look forward to seeing you there and continuing our journey to protect the Knysna Estuary together!

๐Ÿ’™๐ŸŒฟ #KnysnaEstuaryResearch #WhiteSteenbras #Conservation #ThankYou #CommunitySupport #StayTuned Ocean Odyssey Knysna Knysna Yacht Club
Join us on the 25th of June at Knysna Yacht Club t Join us on the 25th of June at Knysna Yacht Club to learn more about this beauty! More information can be found in our previous post ๐ŸŸ

#conservation #knysnasouthafrica #talkofthetown #knysnaestuary #KnysnaEstuaryResearchFoundation #whitesteenbras Ocean Odyssey Knysna
๐ŸŒŸ Talk of the Town Tuesday! ๐ŸŒŸ We're excited ๐ŸŒŸ Talk of the Town Tuesday! ๐ŸŒŸ

We're excited to announce our next event in collaboration with Knysna Yacht Club and Ocean Odyssey Knysna, continuing our series of engaging and educational talks about Knysna's unique biodiversity! ๐ŸŸ

Due to the overwhelming success of last month's event, we will be limiting tickets to 100 this timeโ€”so make sure to secure yours early: (link in story).

This monthโ€™s topic: The WHITE STEENBRAS! Join us as Alan Whitfield, Kyle Smith, and Jessica Seath shed light on the endangered white steenbras in the Knysna Estuary. Discover the fascinating history, current status, and critical conservation efforts for this iconic species.

Bring your family and friends for an evening of insight and stay afterward for drinks and pizza to chat with our experts!

All ticket proceeds will support the conservation of the white steenbras. For any inquiries, please contact jessica@knysnaestuary.co.za

#knysnaestuary #conservation #talkofthetown #knysnasouthafrica
๐Ÿ“ข Exciting News! ๐Ÿ“ข We are thrilled to annou ๐Ÿ“ข Exciting News! ๐Ÿ“ข

We are thrilled to announce that the Knysna Basin Project has officially rebranded to the ๐Š๐ง๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ง๐š ๐„๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐š๐ซ๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก ๐…๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง! ๐ŸŒŠโœจ

Our new name better reflects our dedication to the vibrant and biodiverse Knysna Estuary. With this change, we renew our commitment to promoting and supporting the conservation of this critical ecosystem.

Our mission: โ€œTo promote and support the conservation of the highly productive and biodiversity-rich Knysna Estuary, using targeted scientific research, knowledge creation and dissemination, societal education, and stakeholder collaboration.โ€

Join us on this exciting journey as we protect and celebrate the natural beauty and ecological importance of the Knysna Estuary. Stay tuned for updates over the next few weeks as we share more information about our upcoming project on conserving the endangered White Steenbras.

๐Ÿ”— Follow us for updates and support our mission:

  Website: link in bio.

Thank you for your continued support! Let's work together to make a difference. ๐Ÿ’™๐ŸŒฟ

#KnysnaEstuaryResearchFoundation #Conservation #Biodiversity #Research #Community #Education
Wow!! What a turnout at our event last night - we Wow!! What a turnout at our event last night - we had over 130 eager guests. We are so grateful to everybody that attended and hope you enjoyed learning about our beautiful blue stingray and the conservation efforts going into protecting this species ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿฅณ

Thank you to our wonderful speaker @tellysmarinetales for teaching us so much about stingrays and really just bringing this work to life! Please make sure to check out the ELMO Africa website (elmoafrica@gmail.com) to get involved as a citizen scientist by submitting your sightings or pop Chantel an email at elmoafrica@gmail.com to see how you can donate to this work. The research that was presented is done in collaboration with @nrf_saiab , @sanparks , @orca_foundation_south_africa , and @rhodes_university 

Please stay tuned for the poster about our June 'TALK OF THE TOWN Tuesday'! Or if you would like the poster to be emailed directly to you please send us your email address Knysna Yacht Club @oceanodysseyknysna
๐‘ป๐‘จ๐‘ณ๐‘ฒ ๐‘ถ๐‘ญ ๐‘ป๐‘ฏ๐‘ฌ ๐‘ป๐‘ถ๐‘พ๐‘ต ๐‘ป๐’–๐’†๐’”๐’…๐’‚๐’š!

We are collaborating with the @knysnayachtclub and @oceanodysseyknysna to bring you a series of fun, interesting and informative talks on all things Knysna and her unique biodiversity! ๐Ÿฆญ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ™

First up we have: The BLUE STINGRAYS! Join Dr Chantel Elston as she tells us about the beautiful creatures that frequent the Waterfront Harbour every year in aggregations - and the research that they are doing to understand more about this behaviour.

Everybody is welcome! Bring your kids, friends and parents to the Knysna Yacht Club for a talk and stay afterwards for a drink and a pizza to ask our expert any questions that you may have!

๐’๐ž๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐Œ๐š๐ฒ @ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ•๐ก๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ!

*Any questions can be directed to jessica@knysnabasinproject.co.za
๐—ช๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ป ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜ ๐Ÿณ๐Ÿฌ ๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ธ๐˜€!๐Ÿ“–๐ŸŸ

We want to say a massive thank you to everybody who has purchased a copy of our book '๐Š๐ง๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ง๐š ๐„๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐š๐ซ๐ฒ - ๐‘ฑ๐’†๐’˜๐’†๐’ ๐’๐’‡ ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ฎ๐’‚๐’“๐’…๐’†๐’ ๐‘น๐’๐’–๐’•๐’†' and sent such stunning feedback. 

We have sold over 400 books and are thrilled to be able to share this incredible piece of work with everybody who holds Knysna dear to their hearts.

Get your copy before we are all sold out ... and watch this space for some of our new exciting upcoming projects. #conservation #knysnalagoon 

*Follow link in bio to website to purchase book. #Knysna #knysnaestuary #knysnaheads
The genesis of Knysna Estuaryโ€•Jewel of the Garde The genesis of Knysna Estuaryโ€•Jewel of the Garden Route happened three years ago midway through a stroll along the edge of the eelgrass beds fringing the quiet northeastern side of Leisure Isle. I was ruminating about a vociferous braai-side debate the previous evening when topics concerning the much loved Knysna Estuary (or lagoon as itโ€™s more popularly called) had been aired. Should outboard motor power be limited? Does the fish catch bag limit affect the realities of contemporary fish populations? Is the partially treated sewerage water in the Ashmead Channel being sufficiently flushed by tidal movement? What effect will rising sea levels have on the estuary? These are amongst the plethora of questions asked and argued endlessly by people who have fallen under the spell of perhaps South Africaโ€™s most beautiful stretch of water. So many questions and no reliable in-depth source of information to address them.
Instagram post 17985032468256380 Instagram post 17985032468256380
Join Prof. Alan Whitfield online this evening for Join Prof. Alan Whitfield online this evening for the ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฃ๐™ช๐™–๐™ก ๐™Ž๐™ข๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™ ๐™ˆ๐™š๐™ข๐™ค๐™ง๐™ž๐™–๐™ก ๐™‡๐™š๐™˜๐™ฉ๐™ช๐™ง๐™š in memory of JLB and Margaret Smith. This years lecture will be discussing ๐—ž๐—ป๐˜†๐˜€๐—ป๐—ฎ ๐—˜๐˜€๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜† - ๐—๐—ฒ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—น ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—š๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐—ฅ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜๐—ฒ.

Here is the link to watch this online: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqc-iorTgpHdDgLDzh4JFFMd37wW-qR55l

The lecture will be made available after the event via a link on the SAIAB website (www.saiab.ac.za), should you miss it this evening.

#SAIAB #Southafricaninstituteforaquaticbiodiversity #NRF #nationalresearchfoundation
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About KERF

The Knysna Estuary Research Foundation is an NGO based in Knysna, South Africa, focused on coastal system research โ€“ particularly how these systems change and how communities can and should live within these systems. Our research is applied and aimed at guiding and facilitating management of our local systems, whilst developing novel conservation approaches for coastal systems in general. The Knysna Estuary Research Foundation is based on four pathways: Research, Educate, Conserve and Collaborate.

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Contact Info

Want to find out more or collaborate โ€“ get in touch.


Email: jessica@knysnaestuary.co.za

Website: http://knysnaestuary.co.za

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