The S.A.M.I. Strategy

S.A.M.I. has in its starting phase identified strategic activities that will focus on:

RESEARCH

Sharks

  • Catherine Vermeulen (Project Manager of S.A.M.I) has completed her Undergraduate and Master degree (M.sc.) in Oceanography on great white and blue sharks investigating acoustic arrays and modelling migration patterns.
  • Research is intended to continue for PhD and further education, conservation and awareness campaigns.

Exchange programmes

  • Student exchange programs between CPUT (Cape Peninsula University of Technology), UEM (University of Eduardo Mondlana) Mozambique and NOC (National Oceanography Centre) Southampton, England are arranged for in-service training projects as well as being junior research assistants on a variety of running projects.

Mariculture (growth, engineering, technology)

  • Scope exists on the West Coast to develop new mariculture farms since so many crayfish factories have closed down on the West Coast.
  • Student involvement is vital as experience can be gained with a hands-on approach;
  • Community involvement in teaching and employment to alleviate poverty on the West Coast.

Marine Conservation, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Oceanography

  • Research is intended in the above fields in South Africa and Mozambique. This would be made possible through established international collaborations between S.A.M.I., Holland, Norway and England

EDUCATION

  • Scientific Research has grown substantially and is still steadily growing in South Africa. S.A.M.I. aims to communicate findings and scientific progress to the community (capacity building) and at academic levels;
  • Academic education is vitally important. S.A.M.I. will strive to increase knowledge and awareness through channels starting from schools to Higher Institutions;
  • Environmental Education – The importance of teaching and communicating environmental issues are limitless. Schools (Primary and Secondary) should benefit from teachings at schools increasing knowledge from a young age.
  • Education on sustainable use of marine resources requires finding a balance between protecting the marine environment and its resources and developing economic opportunities based on their use. There is also an increasing need for an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to ocean and coastal management at the national level.
  • Formal and Informal (Short Courses Learnership programmmes, Skills Development) Education

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROGRAMMES

Compliance to Laws: Marine Inspectors and Coast Guard – Developing training programs for Marine Inspectors and Coast Guards (pilot project on the West Coast) since numerous fishermen have lost quotas thus livelihoods;

Marine Compliance:

Examples of these include:

  • Train marine compliance officers
  • Student training (In-service training)
  • Short Courses for educators, scholars, general public
  • Learnerships with local companies and institutes
  • Skills Development Programmes (fishing industry, marine industry)
  • Local community training:
    • ABET etc