Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries grants exemption to all fishing right holders

Granting of full fishing season to previous fishing right holders in terms of Section 81 of the Marine Living Resources Act

On the 9^th of February 2015, the Honourable Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries granted an exemption in terms of section 81 of the Marine Living Resources Act (Act No. 18 of 1998) (“the MLRA”) from section 18(1) of the MLRA to all fishing right holders whose fishing rights were due to expire in 2015. The exemption dispensation was granted until the 28^th of February 2016.

The Minister has considered that a smooth change-over transition from the exemption dispensation to the new rights period is required in order to maintain and ensure a continuous supply of fish and fish products as well as stability within the sector.

Coupled with that, further consideration was given to the biological and ecological factors affecting the sectors. In addition, the department has also been inundated with requests from fishing industry in respect of being allowed to catch the 2016 allocation for a full fishing season.

In light of the above, the Honourable Minister of the Department has decided to allow the previous rights holders currently operating under exemption, to catch their entire 2016 quota allocation for a full duration of their fishing season.

The department would like to reiterate that the current 2015/16 Fishing Rights Allocation Process time-frames are still in place and allowing previous rights holders to fish under exemption for a full season should not be construed as a right to fish.

The new right holders that will be granted rights in 2016 will commence harvesting their allocations when the new seasons start in line with the Table below:

Enquiries:
Bomikazi Molapo
Tel: 012 319 7319
Cell: 078 801 3711
Email: BomikaziM@daff.gov.za