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“I believe that if we stand together as a community, we make South Africa a better place.”

Ocean Witness Marcelin shares his story.

Marcelin Barry from Kleinmond, South Africa, is the son of a fisherwoman. Her connection with the sea and his father’s passion for nature planted the seeds of Marcelin’s devotion to the ocean. Today, the youth leader works with WWF and the fishers from his coastal community to contribute to coastal and marine conservation.

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29 May 2022 | Kleinmond, South Africa

WWF South Africa works with 13 young people from Marcelin’s village in a marine and coastal community monitoring project in the municipality of Overtrand in the Kogelberg region in South Africa. The project is part of WWF’s efforts to promote sustainable fisheries and support coastal communities in becoming self-reliant. 

What does the ocean mean to you? 

I grew up in a fishing community. My mother is one of the few women in the village who went out on the ocean to catch rock lobster, sometimes even at night. As a child, I prayed for her safe return while wondering how she was able to enjoy her hard work. My father was working with sea birds and was very passionate about nature and animals.

“Growing up, I realised that the people in my community rely on the ocean.”
Marcelin

Growing up, I realised that the people in my community rely on the ocean. Many people in the village did not have the opportunity to receive education and do not have other livelihood options. Fishing is their opportunity to put food on the table for their families. This, and my parents’ passion for nature, inspired me to dedicate my time to making the ocean healthy.

In 2017, I started working with WWF in community projects that taught me more about the ocean, marine species and fisheries. At the same time, these projects gave me the opportunity to serve my community. Working with small-scale fishers, I gathered and analysed data that contributed to research on overfishing and illegal fishing in the Kogelberg region. These activities threaten the livelihood of my community as well as the ecosystems.

Please tell us more about your work with the coastal communities.

In my current role at WWF South Africa, I work closely with the fishermen and -women in the area by assisting them in working with the Abalobi application introduced to them by WWF. This application allows fishers to record their catches and sell them online. It increases their access to markets and it saves them time selling their fish online.

At the same time, the information on catches in the area helps government agencies and conservation organisations to keep track of the marine species and their population. This method is more efficient and reliable than the log books that were used in the past. The data is less likely to get lost and it is easier to record them, because fishers are able to refer to previous data.

“For the fishers it is also important to protect marine resources: they want to safeguard their livelihood for future generations.”
Marcelin

Another innovative technology we are using are Baited Remote Underwater Video systems (BRUVs). These underwater video systems that fishermen and -women throw overboard with bait to record species in and outside the marine protected area. We do this twice a year, once in summer and once in winter, after which we analyse the recordings as part of a multi-species study. Fishers are in the lead during these activities, I support them.

Together with the 12 other marine and coastal monitors, I monitor human activities, ecosystem conditions and several animal species along the Kogelberg coastline. This includes recording the birth and death of sea birds. A healthy population of bird species in the area is very important for the ecosystems and for people. The fishers, for example, observe birds to know what fish are in the area.

Why is this project important?

I am proud to help my community through my work. It is a win-win situation: by introducing new technologies to the fishers, their work becomes easier while we learn more about the area’s species and their habitats. For them it is also important to protect marine resources: they want to safeguard their livelihood for future generations.

“The people in my community look up to young people who work for the future. We want to improve the socio-economic situation in the area while taking care of our rich natural environment.“
Marcelin

The people in my community look up to young people who work for the future. We want to improve the socio-economic situation in the area while taking care of our rich natural environment. Acting as mediators between the community and WWF, we are seen as young leaders. 

I hope to continue fulfilling this role in the future. I believe that if we stand together as a community, we make South Africa, and the world, a better place. It is very important to work together, share our knowledge and understand our motivations and backgrounds to be able to move forward with respect for nature and other people.

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Marcelin

Kleinmond, South Africa

Marcelin Barry from Kleinmond, South Africa, is the son of a fisherwoman. Her connection with the sea and his father’s passion for nature planted the seeds of Marcelin’s devotion to the ocean. Today, the youth leader works with WWF and the fishers from his coastal community to contribute to coastal and marine conservation.