The future of the Durban Marine Theme Park (including Ushaka Marine World) located in the Ethekwini Municipality, has hung in the balance following the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 KZN riots, and the April 2022 KZN floods. Its future viability remains questionable but there is renewed effort to work on a turnaround plan.
Aquariums play a valuable role in many ways. Not only do they provide the science community with valuable research opportunities but they also serve to educate the public about marine life, whilst providing a recreational experience generally. They are however expensive to run and heavily reliant on footfall so when their sustainability is threatened it’s a huge concern.