Site: Langebaan

Designation date: 25-04-1988

Coordinates: 33°06'S 018°01'E

Elevation: 0 m - 193 m

Area: 6,000 ha

Summary description: Langebaan. 25/04/88; Western Cape; 6,000 ha; 33º06S 018º01E. National Park. A large, shallow marine lagoon, includes islands, reedbeds, sand flats, saltmarshes and dwarf shrubland. The lagoon is an important nursery area for a number of fish species and supports a diverse and ecologically important algal and shoreline biota. Important for wintering and staging wading birds, and the numerous breeding birds include the largest colony of gulls in South Africa. Human activities include farming, sheep/cattle rearing, and a small commercial fishery. There are an environmental education centre, bird observation hides, and several nature trails. Plans to construct an industrial facility reached agreement with Ramsar input; a case study is available. Ramsar site no. 398.