The Garden Route is subject to increasing levels of development in the coastal zone. The Garden Route Initiative (GRI) is a partnership programme established to improve coordination of conservation actions between several organizations in order to achieve a common goal. The GRI planning domain include six local municipalities extending from Mossel Bay in the west to Kouga in the east. In addition to improving terrestrial conservation the GRI aims to review the effectiveness of the existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and develop marine management plans for the Garden Route coastline. This project therefore aimed to consolidate the existing information on the marine environment in the Garden Route area into one situation assessment document to be used in future management planning. Russell was the lead consultant in preparing the situation assessment for the Garden Route coastline, with the information being used to inform the development of the Garden Route Integrated Marine and Coastal Management Plan. The project involved conducting an in depth review of scientific and grey literature, site visits and engagement with key stakeholders.