Coastal systems and Earth observation

Regional and national pollution status reporting and development of long-term monitoring protocols for Western Indian Ocean countries.

This national protocol was developed in 2004 for the Department of Water Affairs and later revised into the National Guideline for Coastal Effluent Discharges in 2014.

Surveys of wastewater and seawater desalination brine discharges into coastal ecosystems. Clients include the eThekwini Municipality (Durban), Cape Town Municipality, uMngeni-uThukela Water (formerly, Mhlathuze Water, (Richards Bay), Sappi Saiccor (Umkomaas). Illovo Downstream Products (Sezela), Astron (Cape Town) and, PetroSA (Vleesbaai).

Water quality and human health risk monitoring using mussels as bioindicators in coastal and port environments, including transplant studies.

Assessment of water and sediment quality, biological community health and shellfish and fish bioaccumulation in ports.

The Green Port Toolkit supports blue economic development and port sustainability monitoring.

Sediment quality surveys for dredged material disposal permitting and, dredging and disposal environmental impact monitoring.

The CSIR in developed protocols for evaluating the freshwater flow requirements of estuaries.

The CSIR was instrumental in developing protocols for estuarine management plans for various clients.

The National Biodiversity Assessment is South Africa's leading tool for monitoring and reporting on the state of biodiversity. It informs national policies, strategies and actions to improve biodiversity conservation and management across various sectors.

Studies on pharmaceuticals and personal care products, perfluorinated compounds ‘forever chemicals’, flame retardants and microplastics in coastal ecosystems.

Estuarine and marine ecology specialist studies and impact assessments.

Led by the CSIR, the Marine and Coastal Operations for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean project represents 12 organisations across eight coastal countries and Island states from Angola to Kenya. It supports policy development, capacity building and sustainable socioeconomic development by enhancing local institutional, human and technical capacities in the use of satellite-derived marine and coastal information.

Developed through Operation Phakisa in partnership with the CSIR, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South African Environmental Observation Network and South African Weather Service, OCIMS enhances earth observation capabilities to promote sustainable management and unlock the economic potential of South Africa’s marine resources.

The All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, Profitable and Resilient Aquaculture project – is a European Union Horizon 2020 collaborative project – focuses on integrated multi-trophic aquaculture farming to define, support and promote this type of aquaculture production in the Atlantic area. The project applies new technologies to monitor environmental risks and support best practices towards zero waste.

This international multidisciplinary project aims to advance understanding of the link between net primary production and wind-forced upwelling in Atlantic Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems. It combines Earth observation data obtained from satellite remote sensing, with climate indices, in-situ data and ocean circulation modelling.

This project uses high resolution Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to monitor water quality in small inland water bodies in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Our SANAS-accredited environmental chemistry laboratory provides comprehensive environmental sample testing capabilities.

Our environmental ecotoxicology laboratory performs toxicity testing on wastewater, water and sediment using a range of tests that include sea urchin fertilisation testing, sea urchin embryo-larval testing and amphipod survival testing.

We perform field surveys in coastal and marine ecosystems to assess ecological health and environmental impacts in support of sustainable management. This includes:

• Various in situ water quality monitoring instruments capable of measurements at depths of up to 80m;

• Moored monitoring instruments for continuous long-term measurement of water quality, waves and currents;

• Sediment grabs of various types and sizes for shallow and deep- water deployment;

• Fish survey gear, including beam and otter trawls, seine and fyke nets;

• Phytoplankton and zooplankton nets; and

• Survey vessels.