28 November 2006
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk,
supported by Director-General, Pam Yako, held a stakeholder consultative
meeting with the fishing industry with the aim to provide industry stakeholders
with information on the state of the marine resources, the state of the Marine
Living Resources Fund (MLRF), as well as to discuss strengthening future
liaison between the department and the industry.
"Effective communications, trust and common purpose between industry and
government become vital in ensuring the sustainable utilisation of marine
living and coastal resources," the Minister said.
Addressing the meeting on the current state of the marine living resources,
Dr Monde Mayekiso, the Deputy Director-General for Marine and Coastal
Management (MCM) drew attention to a general decline of marine resources
focusing among others, on the drastic decline of the abalone resource, hake and
West Coast rock lobster resulting in declining total allowable catches (TACs).
He further elaborated on the recovery of the South Coast Rock Lobster resource
as a result of good management strategies. He posed a challenge to the industry
to co-operate with the department in addressing some of the challenges.
The industry raised the issue of research capacity as an area of concern.
The department acknowledged this and indicated, apart from collaboration with
other countries such as Norway to develop marine science capacity, a strategy
to retain both young and experienced scientists is being put in place.
Co-financing of strategic projects based on common purpose such as research
between industry and government was a further area to be explored between the
parties.
Giving the historical context within which the MLRF operates,
Director-General, Pam Yako explained that the MRLF was established in terms of
the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998 and was listed as a public entity in
2001. The fund generates its income from levies on fish products, licence fees
and permits, fines, confiscations, harbour fees as well as transfers from the
department, the largest source of income being levies on fish products.
Focusing on the MLRF income and expenditure, Yako explained that the
operational expenditure of the fund had always exceeded the operational income
which implies that the self generated revenue did not cover the expenditure.
She further indicated that the deployment of the environmental protection
vessels resulted in an increase of 65 percent of vessel operational cost which
had not been adequately budgeted for.
Explaining the Auditor-General's comments with regard to the financial
reports from 2002/05 the Director-General said all the reports indicate a lack
of internal controls; lack of compliance to the Public Financial Management Act
(PFMA); no proper accounting and fixed asset system; lack of historical data
and supporting documentation; insufficient control on debtors and income, and
failure to adhere to principles of accrual accounting and staffing matters.
Focusing on the strategy to stabilise the MRLF the Director-General outlined
the following measures that are being undertaken:
* finalisation of a cost recovery framework
* speeding up sale of confiscated abalone
* implementation of a new financial management system, including strengthening
financial control
* implementation of levy collection and management model
* implementation of a Marine Administration System (MAST)
* staff capacity building interventions.
Following the outcome of a very cordial, open and frank discussion held
today, 28 November 2006, between the fishing industry stakeholders and
government, it was agreed to move towards establishing one industry body in a
bid to strengthen future liaison between government and industry, within the
context of the finalisation of the first ever long-term fishing rights, 8 to 15
years, allocations process. It was agreed that an agreement should be in place
by March 2007.
Although progress has been made in the area of transforming the industry,
this area remains a huge challenge, the meeting further noted.
More than 45 representatives from the industry attended the meeting.
For more information contact:
Riaan Aucamp
Cell: 083 778 9923
Carol Moses
Cell: 082 829 3917
Blessing Manale
Cell: 083 381 2939
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
28 November 2006
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za/)
