Minister Barbara Creecy hands over fishing right allocations to co-operatives in KwaZulu-Natal, 19 Oct

The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms. Barbara Creecy, will on Saturday, 19 October announce 15-year fishing rights allocations to small-scale fishing co-operatives in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Minister will also make an announcement on the “basket of species” in the rights being granted and further announce some of the support programs being facilitated by government to assist with the sustainability of the co-operatives allocated with fishing rights.

After the department amended its legislation in 2016 to recognise the importance of small-scale fishers, the department launched an Expression of Interest process. A total of 316 communities from the four coastal provinces registered their interest and this prompted the department to physically visit all these co-operatives for the purpose of registration and declaration of small-scale fishers in South Africa.

In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) a total of 53 communities expressed interest, however 48 participated in registration to be recognised as small-scale fisher. In total, 2 184 small-scale fishers were finally recognized in KZN from 36 declared small-scale fishing communities. Subsequently, the declared communities have been assisted to register co-operatives and to further apply for 15-year fishing rights for the first time.

Members of the media are invited to attend the meeting as follows:
Date: Saturday, 19 October 2019
Time: 9h00 – 12h00
Venue: Esihlonyaneni Community Hall, Uzumbe Local Municipality, KZN

For media RSVPs contact:
Tshego Letshwiti
Cell: 076 307 9634
E-mail: tletshwiti@environment.gov.za

Media enquiries:
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483

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