South Africa Imposes 10-Year Fishing Ban to Save African Penguins

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South African court bans commercial fishing near six key breeding colonies for African penguins, a protection that will last at least 10 years.

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The landmark ruling aims to save the critically endangered species from extinction by protecting their dwindling food supply of sardines and anchovies.

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Conservation groups hailed Tuesday's settlement in the Pretoria High Court as "an historic victory" in the fight to save the distinctive black-and-white birds.

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Protected areas include the famous Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, along with Dassen Island and the Stony Point nature reserve.

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The African Penguin was listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in October 2024.

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A staggering 97% of the African penguin population has already been lost, with experts warning the species could vanish from the wild by 2035.

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When penguins don't consume enough food, especially sardines or anchovies, they typically abandon breeding, further threatening population numbers.

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Breeding pairs have plummeted from more than 15,100 in 2018 to around 8,750 by the end of 2023, according to BirdLife South Africa.

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While oil spills and human disturbances threaten the penguins, conservationists identify poor nutrition as the greatest danger to their survival.

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The court order gives South Africa's environment minister just two weeks to implement the closure of the six breeding colonies to fishing.

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