Capricorn Marine Environmental is an independent international monitoring and marine science consulting group based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Capricorn Marine Environmental (formerly CapFish) consists of a core team of marine science professionals, supported by a large sea-going staff. CapMarine Environmental works closely with the South African marine management authorities, regional and international fisheries management organisations as well as non-governmental organisations such as WWF and Birdlife. The central mandate of CapMarine
28/11/2014
As a company, CapMarine is involved in social upliftment and community outreach, through initiatives such as organising and participating in beach clean-ups. Here are some of the staff at the 2013 clean-up of Milnerton Beach.
19/11/2014
The work of a scientific observer is daunting. Often unsupervised, observers need a high degree of personal integrity and stamina. CapMarine observers are all trained comprehensively, both in fisheries biology and about the industry itself, and are given opportunities for further development and training. All CapMarine observers undergo an internationally recognised safety and survival-training course that includes first-aid and fire-fighting to prepare them if there is an emergency at sea.
17/11/2014
CapMarine Environmental has a staff of expert marine scientists that undertake a range of marine consulting work. This includes academic, technical and practical research of commercial fisheries in South Africa, international Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, as well as UN and World Bank projects in East Africa to improve and develop local fisheries. Our consulting work aims to improve and inform sustainable fisheries practices around the globe, and promote responsible fishing to preserve resources for future generations.
13/11/2014
The energy industry is growing rapidly in South Africa, and the potential for oil and gas mining in our offshore waters is enormous. As a result, CapMarine has a dedicated Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) training and deployment program. An MMO's task is to monitor for cetaceans (whales and dolphins) during oil and gas operations, especially during offshore seismic surveys. MMOs can recommend a delay in seismic activity should marine mammals be spotted. MMOs also record data on how the vessel impacts marine mammal behaviour, allowing better mitigation measures to be developed.
07/11/2014
One of the central activities of CapMarine is the training and deployment of observers onto fisheries vessels. Independent observers are vitally important in the sustainable management of fisheries around the globe. Our observers gather non-biased information about the fishery - what species are caught, how many are caught, at what age they are caught and if any additional by-catch species are caught. They also monitor the use technology that is required by law to reduce the by-catch (like seabirds, seals and turtles).