The National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act (No. 24 of 2008) (ICMA) provides for the integrated management of South Africa’s coastline to ensure the sustainable development of the coast. It was developed to promote ecologically-, socially-, and economically sustainable coastal development, as well as to prevent inappropriate development along the coastline. It is also intended to promote public awareness regarding the complexities and sensitivity of the coastal environment, which then promotes active participation in coastal management.
The ICMA highlights the benefits of cooperation and shared management responsibilities and mandates all three spheres of Government to develop Coastal Management Programmes (CMPs). These are policy and/or strategy documents that contain a system of principles and objectives to guide decisions and achieve outcomes relating to the coastal environment. These policy tools consist of three core components: a situational analysis or status quo assessment; a vision, priority and objectives setting component; and, a five-year implementation programme, which includes specific coastal management objectives and implementation strategies for each identified priority area.
The West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) has reviewed and updated its 2013 CMP in line with the requirements of the ICMA and in support of the implementation of the National CMP (2015) and the Western Cape CMP (2016). This updated WCDM CMP builds on its previous strengths and successes; is informed by stakeholder engagement; and, responds to the requirements of current legal mandates as well as national-, provincial- and
municipal policies, strategies and programmes.
Read the entire plan below.
WCDM - Second-generation-Integrated-Coastal-Management-Plan
