S4 South Africa: Tensions with Marine Protected Areas

For today’s episode we head to South Africa’s southern coast, where journalist Rasmus Bitsch saw firsthand the tension between local populations and environmentalists over plans to expand designated marine protected areas. The country is moving forward to implement the United Nations’ 30 by 30 goals, which seek to protect 30 percent of the world’s oceans by the year 2030. While environmentalists contend that this will actually help increase fishing stocks, many local fishers and others are skeptical of government plans because of the country’s history of apartheid and forced removal of locals from their land. Bitsch relays to host Ruxandra Guidi what he heard from both sides on what it will take to build trust and protect both marine habitats and local livelihoods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices