Ministerial Address at inauguration of the 600mt Fishmeal Plant –Sandy Point Harbour, St Helena BAY
Programme Director,
Executive Mayor of Saldanha Bay,
Leadership of the African Pioneer Group and Pioneer Fishing,
Officials and colleagues from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Industrial Development Corporation,
Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to be here with you today at Sandy Point Harbour for the inauguration of this fishmeal plant, an investment that speaks directly to South Africa’s commitment to industrialisation, localisation, job creation and the sustainable utilisation of our marine living resources.
This facility is so much more than an expansion of processing capacity. It is a strategic intervention in the small pelagic value chain that strengthens domestic beneficiation, enhances operational efficiency, and positions South Africa to extract greater economic value from each tonne of fish harvested. It strengthens local opportunities without increasing pressure on the resource base. It is a symbol of investment in people, in communities, and in the future of South Africa’s fishing industry, and a bald step towards advancing the objectives of South Africa’s Oceans Economy Master Plan and our broader industrial policy framework.
The small pelagic sector remains a pillar of coastal employment, food security, animal feed supply chains and export earnings particularly for the West Coast. It is also a sector that is inherently sensitive to environmental variability and climate-driven regime shifts. Recent scientific assessments have confirmed significant fluctuations in biomass and recruitment, most notably the record-low anchovy recruitment observed in 2025 and the persistently low, though cautiously improving, sardine population levels.
In this context, the Department has been required to act swiftly, decisively, responsibly and in line with the precautionary principles as enshrined in the Marine Living Resource Act. The interim Total Allowable Catches and associated by-catch limits for the 2026 season, which came into effect to ensure the timely opening of the fishing season, are firmly grounded in the best available science and in internationally accepted adaptive management approaches. They are deliberately conservative, transitional in nature, and will be reviewed once the results of the January–March 2026 pelagic biomass survey become available.
This approach reflects a modern, risk-based fisheries governance model: one that balances ecological sustainability with economic continuity, and that provides stability for workers, processors and investors while safeguarding the long-term productivity of the ecosystem.
The scientific advice has also highlighted the importance of diversifying fishing effort towards more abundant stocks, particularly round herring, whose biomass has shown strong performance in recent years. This species now plays a critical buffering role in maintaining throughput in the pelagic sector during periods when sardine and anchovy are constrained. Investments such as this fishmeal plant therefore directly support resilience in the sector by enabling efficient processing of a broader species mix, reducing waste, improving turnaround times, and stabilising supply to downstream industries.
Equally important is the integrity of the management system that underpins these allocations.
- Accurate, species-specific catch reporting,
I wish to acknowledge the work of all the role players involved in the conservation of the Small Pelagic resources, in particular,
- the Vessel Owners,
- Right Holders,
- Processors,
- our Researchers and Research institutions that plays a role in the Small Pelagic Working Groups and;
- Compliance Officials whose collective efforts ensure that policy is informed by evidence, and that rules are applied consistently and transparently across the sector.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are also navigating a complex administrative and legal environment as part of the long-term rights allocation process. The Department has concluded its internal appeals processes and, in the interests of procedural fairness, legal certainty and institutional credibility, will be approaching the Courts to enable a reconsideration process. This step is taken to ensure that the allocation framework is robust, defensible and aligned with constitutional and administrative justice principles, and to restore long-term stability and investor confidence in the sector.
Against this backdrop, today’s event sends an important signal. It affirms that South Africa’s Fisheries Management regime remains rules-based, science-driven and investment-enabling. It demonstrates that, even while legal and administrative processes are being finalised, the Government continues to provide a predictable operating environment and to support responsible capital investment that creates jobs, deepens localisation and strengthens value chains.
The more than R170 million investment represented by this facility contributes directly to:
- Sustainable industrial growth in a priority coastal node;
This is the practical expression of the partnership we seek to build between Government, Science and the Fishing Industry. A partnership that recognises ecological limits, respects the rule of law, and unlocks inclusive economic opportunity.
I therefore commend African Pioneer Group and Pioneer Fishing for this investment and for their continued engagement with Government in advancing a sustainable, transformed and globally competitive fisheries sector. I also acknowledge our colleagues at National, Provincial and Local Government, organised labour and the broader value chain who have contributed to making this project a reality.
May this Processing Plant stand as a symbol of confidence not only on the West Coast, but in South Africa, in our Regulatory Institutions, and in the long-term future of the Small Pelagic Fishery.
I thank you.
