African penguins, critically endangered and facing potential extinction by 2035, are at risk due to a minister's decision to implement inadequate fishing closures around their breeding colonies, despite recommendations from international experts. The legal case argues that the minister's actions are irrational and unlawful, calling for scientifically-informed fishing closures to protect the penguins' foraging areas.
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.African penguins, endemic to Southern Africa, are one of the most threatened seabird species globally and they face the risk of extinction in the wild by 2035.
In October, the African penguin was classified as critically endangered. “It is therefore only one step away from being classified as extinct in the wild,” the applicants said. “That fate is predicted to befall the species by as early as 2035, just one decade from now.” Despite acknowledging the species’ plight and the urgent need to implement timeous conservation actions to prevent its extinction, the minister “has consistently failed to implement appropriate and effective measures”.
Creecy had implemented a set of “highly compromised” and “largely ineffective” island closures, which were intended to operate as a temporary stop-gap measure pending the finalisation of the panel process. Predictably, no agreement on alternative island closures was reached by the deadline, the applicants said. “As a result, the interim closures were set in stone and, absent this court’s intervention, will remain in place until 31 December 2033 — just a year from the anticipated extinction date.”
These island closures already cover about 65% of the total geographical·range of the applicants’ proposed closure delineations. “The minister … is politically and legislatively responsible for the administration, monitoring and oversight of both sectors often where competing rights and divergent interests play a role in decisions which must be made.”
African Penguins Extinction Fishing Closures Conservation Environmental Protection
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