Minister embarks on listening campaign in fishing communities ahead of appeals process
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson attended a meeting with fishers in Kalk Bay on a fisheries listening campaign. The Minister says listening campaign “presents an opportunity for me to hear the concerns of fishers first hand before I receive appeals for the fishing rights allocation process”. The meeting was held at the Saint Holy Trinity Anglican church.
The listening campaign will be ongoing.
Over 70 fishers and members of the public discussed a variety of issues related to the fishing industry. In particular, they spoke about the fisheries rights allocation process and. Among the issues were the availability of fishing permits and quotas, new entrants in the fishing industry and the recognition of the heritage of traditional line fishers.
Said Minister Joemat-Pettersson, “I have come here to familiarize myself with issues that fishing communities have been raising, as I will be receiving appeals for the fishing rights allocation process. South Africa has a good story to tell, and the de-racialisation of the fishing industry and support to small and medium sized entreprises is one of these stories.
Emily Adams, who lives in Kalk Bay, said today was the first time that a Minister responsible for fisheries had come to listen to her community and added that any allocations process must identify people who come from a fishing historical background.
Adams added that pre-historical, disadvantaged communities must be developed and must be recognized.
Horst Kleinschmidt, who oversaw the 2005 long-term fishing rights allocation process remarked that upon reflection, he realised that “when we allocated quotas we did not take into consideration to history and heritage in the industry. If we had paid attention to that we would not have the problems we have today, especially with line fishers.”
Minister Joemat-Pettersson will address the media on the appeal process on Sunday, 23 February 2014 in Kalk Bay.
Palesa Mokomele
Spokesperson for the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Telephone: 012 319 7876 (PTA)
Fax: 012 319 6681 (PTA)
Telephone: 021 467 4502 (CPT)
Fax: 021 465 6550 (CPT)
Cell: 082 904 1908
Email: PalesaM@daff.gov.za
