process
26 February 2006
Following an initial assessment on developments regarding the allocation of
fishing rights, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van
Schalkwyk announced interventions aimed at alleviating poverty stricken coastal
communities.
"We always knew from the initial stages of this process that it will be
impossible for every person who has applied for a right to be allocated a
quota," said the Minister. "It is simply not possible to give every applicant a
quota, when the best-available science tells us that our fish stocks cannot
sustain these levels, and indeed many of our line fish stocks are in a critical
state. There are simply too many people demanding quotas and too little fish to
allocate. In the case of west coast rock lobster, for example, only one out of
every five applicants can be accommodated. Furthermore, many applicants who
applied for quotas are in fact not bona fide and deserving fishers, and have no
just claim for a quota, but have applied in the desperate hope of alleviating
their dire economic position."
"We cannot and will not force law-abiding South Africans to become criminals
simply so that they can put food on the plates of their families." This is the
commitment to South Africa's coastal communities that has been made by
Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. "We
know that in places like Doringbaai, Port Nolloth, Paternoster, Elandsbaai and
so many others there are very few who are not dependent on fishing or the
fishing industry to survive. We know that these men and women see the
allocation of fishing rights as their last hope â and that the fear of not
receiving a right is really the fear of hunger and poverty."
"Developing the policies that have guided our allocation of long-term
commercial fishing rights has been one of the most comprehensive and extensive
community consultation processes in the history of our democracy," said the
Minister. "The actual application and allocations process has set new standards
of openness and accessibility, as well as bringing unheard-of levels of
transformation to the sector. Our consideration of the appeals will extend this
commitment to a just, fair and transparent process."
"We are 100% committed to uplifting coastal communities â but the reality
remains that fishing rights alone are simply not nearly enough. This is why my
Department is involved in discussions with other departments and spheres of
Government so as to find lasting solutions to this problem. For example we have
spent more than R270 million over the past two years on repairing and upgrading
our fishing harbours â and we will spend another R127 million this year as part
of our attempts to create local jobs whilst developing infrastructure that
should result in improved economic activities. We also intend to appoint a
full-time project manager to develop socio-economic opportunities in and around
our fishing harbours. Furthermore, we are prioritising shark cage diving,
boat-based whale watching and other non-consumptive tourism activities as means
to address communities' social and economic needs. We will also be finalising,
and releasing for public comment, our draft policy on aquaculture in July. This
initiative we believe will ultimately result in ever lasting increase of the
fishing cake to be allocated.
Turning specifically to his plans for addressing the plight of bona fide
small scale fishers from coastal fishing communities who use low-technology
fishing gear to catch fish primarily for local sale or barter, the Minister
said: "I am very pleased therefore to announce today that we will begin now to
identify fishers â who can demonstrate both great need and a historic
dependency on fishing. We will work to find ways in which our fishers can be
given access to fish and marine resources in inshore areas. One of the ways in
which fishers could be accommodated is within the framework of subsistence
fishing. A policy for subsistence fishing will be released within the coming
months. This, together with other measures, will help put other food on the
tables of their families, and allow bona fide fishers the dignity of remaining
inside the law. However this must be done in a manner that does not threaten
our fish stocks or stock rebuilding plan."
"One of the reasons that many fishers see fishing rights as a last hope,"
said the Minister, "is that so many fishers find employment only on the basis
of a very limited fishing season. The result is that, unlike other sectors like
mining or manufacturing, fishers are generally not compensated with pension
schemes, medical cover, or other basic and sound employment conditions. Often
fishing rights are seen as a route to make up for this lack â and it is time
for this to be addressed. I will, therefore, be instructing the Department to
start long-overdue discussions with fishers in our coastal villages, unions,
and our biggest fishing companies, to find ways of reducing the 'casual' nature
of employment in the sector, and to also begin to meet the other basic social
costs incurred by almost every other employer in other economic sectors."
"We remain very open to any and all new ideas that will practically and
sustainably help us to address the plight of our poorest fishing communities.
What we need now is the coming together of minds on how best to address this
challenge," said the Minister. "Government has many a time stated that it
cannot go it alone. Within the context of the reality of limited fish stocks,
we appeal to all interested parties to start focusing their energies on
solutions to the problem rather than stances which would inevitably further
complicate what is already a difficult dilemma for us all."
Enquiries:
JP Louw
Cell: 082 569 3340
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
26 February 2006
