Sustainable ocean economy of coastal settlements in South Africa

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of utilising marine resources in the economic development of coastal communities in the in Wild Coast located in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study identified marine resources that could be developed to sustain livelihoods through small-scale fishing and ecotourism within the rural coastal settlements. The study assessed diversified approaches to the utilisation of coastal resources and associated benefits in terms of employment creation, income-generation, food security, poverty reduction and health promotion. The Sustainable Livelihood Model was used to assess the feasibility of utilising marine resources in improving household income and reducing poverty. There were 50 participants who participated in the study. Of these, 26 were males (52 percent) and 24 females (48 percent). An interview schedule developed for this study was used to collect information from participants. Participants voluntarily participated in the study. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse demographic information provided by participants. The results showed that participants were interested and prepared to embark on income-generating projects that they considered feasible in the area. The business ideas that emerged from data analysis are cultural and heritage business, agro-tourism, small-scale farming, establishment of a conservancy, development of horticulture, legalising small- scale fishing and ecotourism, financial resource needs, fish farming, establishment of a fish market, developing accommodation facilities for tourists, infrastructural development, and acquisition of capital equipment for business development. A major recommendation of the study is the need to diversify livelihoods within coastal communities as a modality to build continuous economic activity due to the seasonality of fishing and tourism industries. Future studies could focus on the development of coastal resources for local communities in South Africa. Keywords: sustainability, income-generation, small-scale fishing, ecotourism