Top left: Mayor of Ray Nkonyeni, representatives from the Leisure Bay Conservancy and Mpenjati Conservancy. Top right: Jeffreys Bay Lifeguards Philani Yumatha and Keawane Hammond; Bottom left: De Bakke Beach in Mossel Bay – WESSA CEO, Cindy-Lee Cloete with lifeguard squad leader Je-Olyne Walters and municipal representative Mushfiqah Abrahams; Bottom right: McDougalls Bay, Port Nolloth – WESSA CEO, Lara Young, Municipal Support & Compliance Manager, Joseph G Cloete, Municipal Manager, Port Nolloth
Stop the Strangle action campaign scales frontline marine protection through municipal and community partnerships
WESSA is strengthening on-the-ground action against ghost fishing gear and marine entanglement through its ongoing CEO coastal roadshow, as part of Phase 2 of the Stop the Strangle (STS) action campaign.
The roadshow, led by WESSA CEO Cindy-Lee Cloete, kicked off in December 2025 and is focused on deepening collaboration with municipalities, conservancies, lifeguard services and coastal partners, while accelerating the national rollout of ghost fishing line collection and analysis bins across South Africa’s coastline.
This work forms part of the Ford 100-Bin Relay Project made possible through the support of the Ford Wildlife Foundation and aims to intercept discarded fishing line before it reaches the ocean, while generating data to support long-term, evidence-based marine conservation.
Turning coastal action into measurable impact
Ghost fishing gear, including lost or discarded fishing line, remains one of the most harmful forms of marine pollution, causing severe injury and death to seabirds, turtles, sharks and other marine species, often long after the gear has been abandoned.
Through Stop the Strangle, WESSA is combining practical infrastructure, community-led monitoring, and data collection to reduce this threat in high-traffic coastal areas.
As part of the CEO roadshow ghost fishing line collection and analysis bins have recently been formally handed over at multiple strategic coastal sites that are part of our Green Coast and Blue Flag network of partners. New Stop the Strangle sites include Mossel Bay, Jeffreys Bay, McDougalls Bay (Port Nolloth), Leisure Bay and Mpenjati Conservancies in KwaZulu-Natal, and two of our Blue Flag marinas, namely Club Mykonos and the Royal Alfred Marina.
“These handovers are about more than infrastructure,” says Cindy-Lee Cloete, CEO of WESSA. “They represent a shared commitment between municipalities, coastal partners and communities to protect marine life and manage our coastlines responsibly. By working together, we can stop fishing line from becoming a silent killer in our oceans and turn local action into lasting conservation impact.”
Strengthening municipal and community partnerships
The handovers bring together key local stakeholders, including municipal representatives, conservancies, lifeguard services and coastal managers, highlighting the essential role of local leadership in marine litter prevention.
By prioritising Green Coast sites, Blue Flag beaches, marinas and boat facilities, the Ford 100-Bin Relay Project is designed to increase interception where pressure on the coastline is highest, while demonstrating a scalable model for integrated coastal management.
“The Stop the Strangle campaign is designed to turn hands-on coastal action into data-driven conservation outcomes,” adds Mike Denison, WESSA’s Coastal Programme Senior Manager. “The information gathered through these bins will help strengthen marine research, inform policy discussions and guide future interventions.”
A national campaign with local impact
Stop the Strangle operates within WESSA’s broader Green Coast programme, which supports coastal stewardship, environmental compliance and community participation along South Africa’s shoreline.
The CEO roadshow continues in early 2026, with further handovers and engagements planned with strategic partners as the campaign scales nationally.
Long-term coastal protection depends on strong partnerships and practical action. With the support of the Ford Wildlife Foundation, WESSA’s Coastal Programme is strengthening frontline coastal conservation and working alongside communities to deliver real, measurable impact.
We are proud to have our Coastal Programme powered by Ford.
Want to get involved?
Learn more about Stop the Strangle and how to support the campaign here: https://www.wessa.org.za/stop-the-strangle/. Reach out to Mike Denison, WESSA’s Coastal Programme Senior Manager via greencoast@wessa.co.za.