period for draft subsistence and small-scale fishing policies
13 December 2006
Minister van Schalkwyk announced today that the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism is extending the public comment period for two key policy
documents that affect subsistence fishing communities such as Paternoster,
which has recently been in the public eye. The Minister said, "The draft
policies for the Allocation and Management of Medium-term Subsistence Fishing
Rights and Small-scale Commercial Fishing Rights were gazetted on Friday, 17
November 2006 for public comment. The original deadline for comments was
Monday, 18 December 2006. However, we acknowledge the need for more extensive
deliberations on these important issues and have now extended the deadline to
Monday, 12 March 2007 to allow for this."
The two draft policies provide guidelines for the allocation and management
of medium-term rights for both subsistence and small-scale commercial
fisheries. The policy objectives are to grant four-year medium-term rights to
people who can demonstrate their historic and cultural dependency on marine
living resources, ensure orderly and sustainable development of fisheries and
environmental sustainability.
The Minister stressed, "These draft policies are intended to ensure that our
rights allocations framework provides a fair share to our very poorest
communities, specifically those coastal fishing communities who depend on the
sea for their own food needs and the most basic of incomes. We urge the
interested parties, especially community-based organisations (CBOs) to provide
as much input as possible so that we can proceed from a stronger and wider
knowledge base.
"In addition to the draft policies, we have undertaken a number of measures
to improve the livelihoods of coastal communities. Earlier this year, we
virtually doubled the total number of allocations of West Coast Rock Lobster
(WCRL) near shore from 418 to 812. These rights will be valid for a period of
10 years. I made these interventions on appeal because I sympathise with
fishing communities who have relied on the sea for generations. However, the
depletion and migration of stocks is a reality and government has a
responsibility to find a proper balance.
"The area where WCRL rights are allocated stretches from Port Nolloth to
Gansbaai. Approximately 70% of WCRL catches 30 years ago occurred higher up on
the West Coast from Port Nolloth to the Saldanha area whilst 90% is now caught
between Dassen Island and the Cape Peninsula. Research conducted by marine
scientists, confirms this shift in the distribution of marine resources. This
has already resulted in a decline of fish landings in the West Coast areas and
has resulted in the introduction of a small-scale commercial fishery sector in
the area East of Cape Hangklip, which further confirms the shift in
distribution of the resource. In addition the total allowable catch (TAC) for
WCRL was reduced by 10%."
Minister van Schalkwyk concluded, "It would be irresponsible for us to allow
the total depletion of the resource for short-term political gain. Government
has the responsibility to ensure the environmental sustainability of our fish
resources and to manage our marine resources for the benefit of future
generations."
Media enquiries:
Blessing Manale
Cell: 083 381 2939
Riaan Aucamp
Cell: 083 778 9923
Issued by: Department Environmental Affairs and Tourism
13 December 2006
