linefish species from vessel of tuna pole fishing right holder and clamps down
on abalone warehouse along West Coast
19 December 2007
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism confiscated almost one
ton of linefish, mostly red steenbras, which is regarded as the top linefish
predator and generally equated to the white rhino in terrestrial terms.
The confiscation happened during the early hours of the morning Wednesday,
19 December 2007 in Gansbaai, Western Cape.
The fish was caught with the Atlantic Blessing, a fishing vessel licensed to
fish on behalf of two fishing right holders. They are the Overberg Commercial
Abalone Divers LTD which has a right in the demersal shark fishery longline and
the name of the other right holder is SCENEMATIC 16 who has a right in the tuna
pole fishery. This means the entire catch was illegal. SCENEMATIC 16 is also
the registered owner of the vessel.
The vessel is being in the process of being seized.
Criminal charges in terms of the contravention of the Marine Living
Resources Act of 1998 are being investigated.
Red steenbras is one of the linefish regarded as 'collapsed' and very
limited and restricted fishing of the specie is allowed. Fishers, which include
line fish commercial right holders and recreational fishers, are allowed to
catch only one red steenbras per person or crewmember per day.
The total number of red steenbras confiscated is 70 with a total weight of
717 kg. Conservatively this illegal fishing catch has taken out more than 700
years of accumulative growth of red steenbras, which impacts on the
reproduction of the collapsed status of the red steenbras resource.
Other line fish species confiscated include geelbek, roman, red stumpnose,
and yellowtail, most of which are threatened and/or collapsed line fish
species.
In a separate incident, also during the early hours of this morning (19
December 2007), the department has busted an illegal abalone processing
warehouse near Hopefield, along the West Coast. Two vehicles (Mercedes Benz
Vito, Toyota Hi-lux double cab), drying equipment and more than 35 000 units of
abalone were confiscated.
Five men were arrested, two whom are believed to be Chinese nationals and
the other three are Mozambican nationals. They are being held in Hopefield
police station and are expected to appear in court soon.
This comes at a time when the abalone resource is severely threatened with
extinction. The closure of the commercial fishery is to be implemented on 1
February 2008 in a bid to prevent the resource from total collapse.
Over the past 10 years the total allowable catch (TAC) has been reduced
annually from 615 tons in 1995 to a record low of 125 tons for the 2006/07
season and an all time emergency low of 75 tons for the shortened 2007/08
season. The decline of the abalone stocks is as a result of poaching and
ecological changes.
Contact:
Carol Moses
Cell: 082 829 3917
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
19 December 2007
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)
