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23 January 2011
ACTIVITY REPORT to SANCOR
1. PERIOD UNDER REVIEW
The period under review for this report is 1/04/2010 to 31/03/2011
2.SUMMARY OF GROUP OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the Consortium is to provide a platform for affiliated organisations and individuals with diverse expertise to collaborate in promoting the wise management of estuarine systems. This is achieved through joint participation in directed research, training and technology transfer.
The Consortium aspires to ensure the environmentally sustainable development of southern Africa's estuaries. This will be accomplished through interdisciplinary research linked to information and technology transfer, which empowers legislators, regulators, managers, planners, developers and communities to make wise decisions on biophysical and socio-economic issues affecting estuaries. CERM will also participate in the active application of research results to the solving of environmental problems.
The objectives of CERM during the period under review were to:
- Maintain contact with all members of CERM.
- To present to the Water Research Commission the review of information on the ecology and present status of the lower Mfolozi and Msunduzi rivers and estuary.
- To encourage research scientists from African countries to join CERM in an expanded form to be known as CERM Africa.
3. Membership
The present number of members is 90. This excludes a few who are no longer responding to messages sent out to CERM in general mailing but may wish to retain their membership.
Area membership is as follows:
KwaZulu-Natal - 37
East Cape - 21
West Cape - 18
RSA inland- 3
Overseas - 6(UK, USA, Netherlands, Far East, Australia)
Africa- 5 (Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania)
4.PRIMARY ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN
Towards the end of 2009 CERM was awarded an ad hoc grant by the water Research Commission to hold a meeting of persons who had been working on the Mfolozi Estuary and the Msunduzi Estuary. The data had been collected for a few years prior to the meeting and a collation of all available data was considered important in view of the GEF funding awarded for research on the water supply problem for St Lucia.
The meeting was organized by CERM and was held in the EKZNW auditorium on May 3-5. Professor Alan Whitfield was the project leader and the funds were controlled by SAIAB. There were 15 presentations by CERM members and one by the sugar industry. The final report of almost 300 pages entitled "GC Bate, AK Whitfield & AT Forbes [Eds]. A review of studies on the Mfolozi Estuary and associated flood plain, with emphasis on information required by management for future reconnection of the river to the St Lucia system", was submitted to the WRC in January, 2011.
CERM wishes to thank the WRC for their generous contribution to what is considered a major step forward towards finding solutions for St Lucia.
CERM has continued during the past year to remain a cohesive group and information is passed via the secretariat to all members.
5. PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR
During the coming year CERM will continue as a co-ordinating group.
Following the report on Mfolozi/Msunduzi submitted to WRC, the intention is to prepare a multi-authored document that will be submitted for publication in the international literature.
6. BUDGET – Spent last year, requested for next year
CERM had no budget for the last year.
The request for the coming year is as follows:
Private vehicle use:
KZN Estuaries PCC Sub-Com: 6 trips of 250 km @ R2.92 km-1 R4 300.00
Office expenses (telephone, computer, printing)R 500.00
Contribution towards attending SAMSS on behalf of CERMR 3 000.00
Contribution towards attending SASAqS on behalf of CERMR 3 000.00
Contingenciesfor CERM affairsR2 000.00
TOTAL R12 800.00
G C Bate
CERM Secretariat