1. The state of marine science in South Africa
PW Froneman
Rhodes University

2. Background
Number reports exist on the state of marine research in South Africa.
SANCOR estuaries programme
South African Southern Ocean Research programme
SANCOR occasional reports
Many outdated/regionally/discipline biased and thus provide little support/indication of the current state of marine research in South Africa.
Questions thus arise of where should SANCOR be focussing its future research and how it can address any perceived weaknesses within the marine science community.
Current study was commissioned by NRF (covered the period ).
Study was conducted by Scherman Colloty and Associates cc.

3. 15 Governmental/parastatal institutions
Tertiary groups & affiliated institutes
Albany Museum
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Oceanography)
Nelson Mandel Metropolitan University
Oceanographic Research Institute / South African Association for Marine Biological Research
Rhodes University
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
University of Cape Town
University of Fort Hare
University of Johannesburg / ECON&UJ
University of KwaZulu-Natal
University of Pretoria - Mammal Research Institute & CWMS
University of Stellenbosch (incl CREST)
University of Zululand
Walter Sisulu University
Government & Parastatal
Cape Nature
Council for Geosciences - Marine Geosciences Database
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Department of Science & technology (NRF/RISA)
Department of Water Affairs (RDM & RQS)
Eastern Cape Parks Board
Ezemvelo – KZN Wildlife
MCM / Oceans & Coasts / DAFF
Natal Museum
Portnet (Transnet)
River Health Programme - Provincial Technical Teams (Estuaries)
South African Biodiversity Information Facility (SABIF)
SANBI Marine Programme
South African National Parks Board
Water Research Commissions
15 Governmental/parastatal institutions
14 tertiary/research institutes

4. Programmes & Networks
African Coelacanth Programme
AfrOBIS (Ocean Biogeographic Information System)
Agulhus / Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme
Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme
Cape Action Plan for People & the Environment
Consortium for Estuarine Research and Management (CERM)
Eastern Cape Research Association for Marine Researchers (ECRAM)
KwaZulu-Natal Marine and Coastal Management Research Group (KZN-MRG)
Marine and Coastal Educators Network (MCEN)
Marine Linefish Research Group (MLRG)
River Health Programme - Provincial Technical Teams (Estuaries)
South African Environmental Observation Network
SANCOR
SEAchange
South African Marine Linefish Management Association (SAMLMA)
Companies & NGO's
Birdlife International
EnviroFish Africa
Ocean Planet
Ocean Research Africa / Biotech
Ocean Research Conservation Africa (ORCA)
World Wildlife Fund

5. Data
Total of citations /documents were reviewed during the study of which 9568 were marine and coastal related.
During the study, the following data bases were populated:
Total/type of publication
Discipline
Geographic variability
Gender contribution
Cohort contribution
Transformation

8. Outputs 34% of publications appeared in peer reviewed journals
72% of the peer reviewed publications appeared in ISI accredited journals.
Strong preference for local journals (e.g. South African Journal of Marine Science (African Journal of Marine Science), South African Journal of Science, African Journal of Aquatic Science, African Journal of Zoology).
Book/book chapters contributed < 1% of the total number of publications per annum.
Significant increase in production of “grey literature”
Changes in environmental legislation
Management reports
Need to disseminate information in popular press.

9. Disciplines

15. Conclusions
Findings of the current study are broadly in agreement with similar studies conducted in South Africa (e.g. Dieb & Gevers, 2009).
Significant increase in total number of peer reviewed articles over period of study.
Natural sciences still strongest discipline within marine research (54% of all publications).
Strong regional differences in output/postgraduate students (dominance by Western Cape and KwaZulu- Natal).
Little evidence in support of emergence of new generation of young researchers.
Some progress with respect to transformation
Increase in contribution of woman and HDI in outputs

16. Thank you