The Namibian Islands’ Marine Protected Area (NIMPA)

Apart from providing food and shelter for diverse plant and animal life, the southern Namibian coastline, with its extensive reefs and associated kelp beds offers important nursery grounds for juvenile and larval stages of rock lobsters and some fish, and an array of bays provide breeding habitat for marine mammals, including seals, dolphins and the majestic Southern right whale. A number of islands, islets and rocks dotted along thesouthern Namibian coast provide valuable breeding habitats and roosting grounds for a range of birds of high conservation importance. However, the balance and health of this unique and delicate ecosystem is being threatened in a number of ways - mainly through the effects of human activities.

The Namibian Islands' Marine Protected Area, covering almost one million hectares of sea area, including a number of islands and islets,was proclaimed in 2008. Formal regulations pertaining to each island were gazetted in December 2012. Its broad aims are:

  • the sound management and conservation of marine resources along Namibia’s southern coast;
  • the conservation of unique biodiversity hotspots and globally Important Bird Areas (IBAs);
  • the protection of the breeding colonies and key foraging habitats of seabirds;
  • the protection of spawning and nursery grounds of rock lobster and of some fish stocks, to promote stock recovery;
  • the improved vigilance regarding risks posed by shipping-related threats, e.g. oil spills;
  • the commitment to international treaties as well as regional and national needs.

Information on the Namibian Islands' Marine Protected Area:

The NIMPA has also been declared an Ecologically and Biologically Significant marine Area (EBSA), together with six other marine areas within Namibia's exclusive economic zone. Additional information on these EBSAs is available at https://cmr.mandela.ac.za/Research-Projects/EBSA-Portal/Namibia/Namibian-EBSA-Status-Assessment-Management.