After careful consideration of both the social, ecological and legal implications, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) has decided to temporarily suspend the harvesting of West Coast rock lobster (WCRL) under the sixth interim relief dispensation from Friday, 16 March 2012.
Interim relief was agreed upon in May 2007, following an Equality Court settlement between DAFF and small-scale fishers. According to the settlement, DAFF agreed to grant small-scale fishers access to marine resources until the Small-scale Fishers Policy, currently in its final phases, is implemented.
During the current dispensation, approximately 1 340 exemptions have been granted to bona fide fishermen, allowing each a share of the total allowable catch (TAC) determined for interim relief in the WCRL-sector. This TAC has been set at 251 tons – 167kg per exemption holder.
This suspension, however, does not apply to other species such as traditional line fish, white mussel and red bait as listed in the exemption.
For more information:
Lionel Adendorf
Cell: 076 267 5838
