Minister Zokwana releases his decisions on the appeals filed by applicants in the large pelagic longline sector
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr Senzeni Zokwana (MP) hereby releases his decisions on the appeals filed by applicants in the Large Pelagic Longline sector.
The Minister acknowledges that this is a strategic sector whose allocation is set and determined by the Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (tRFMOs), of which South Africa has to catch the allocated quota. In consideration of the current barriers to entry within the Large Pelagic Longline sector; the Minister acknowledges that strides need to be made to ensure full utilisation within sector.
The Minister is aware of the historical legacy which has contributed to entities being forced into becoming paper quota holders. The department does not, in any way, condone paper quota holding. It is accepted that this fishing sector requires proactive intervention to allow compliance with international quota provisions.
Whilst the Department prioritises the need to catch the entire allocated quota, the objectives of the department are to restructure the fishing industry to address historical imbalances and to achieve equity within all branches of the fishing industry. In an effort to create inclusivity; the Department will focus on empowerment programmes targeted at youth and women in order to realise the broader objectives of radical socio-economic transformation of the Fisheries sector.
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