Question No. 302
Mr G R Morgan (Democratic Alliance) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
(1) Where was the fishing of the interim total allowable catch (TAC) of 75 tons in the abalone fishery permitted during the period 1 February 2008 up to the complete closure of the fishery;
(2) (a) how many legal abalone fishers in total participated in the removal of this TAC and (b) what was the breakdown of fishers who (i) would normally have fished in the turf in which this particular TAC was permitted and (ii) were from areas that would normally have fallen outside this particular turf;
(3) (a) what was the total tonnage of abalone removed during this interim period leading up to the complete closure of the fishery and (b) what are the dates of this period for which this figure is generated;
(4) whether any steps were taken to ensure that no legal abalone rights holder fished beyond their allocated quota for this period; if not, why not; if so, (a) what steps and (b) what are the further relevant details;
(5) (a) how many legal abalone rights holders removed abalone to an extent that exceeded their allocated quota for this period and (b) what action has been taken against them?
Reply:
1. Fishing was allowed in zones B (B1 and B2); F and G (G1, G2 and G3). See attached map, annexure A.
2. (a) 294.
2. (b)(i) B1 = 22; B2 = 12; E1 = 39; E2 = 8; F = 0; G1 = 2; G2 = 3; and G3 = 4.
2 (b)ii) A1 = 16; A2 = 8; A3 = 4; C1 = 60; C2 = 107; D1 = 12; D2 = 6.
3 (a) 73 764 Kilo grams (kg)
(3)(b) 5 to 29 February 2008
4. Yes, all catches from commercial abalone divers were monitored as per permit conditions.
4. (a) The total allocated quota for each right holder was stipulated on both section A and section B (1.11) of the permit, otherwise known as the catch permit and permit conditions, respectively.
4. (b) The total catches of each right holder could only be reconciled at the end of the catching period due to the fact that the right holders landed at different landing sites (zones) and one diver might have dived for the abalone of several divers. Therefore over catching of individual allocations could only be determined after the closing date.
5. (a) 195.
Over catch (Kg)
1 to 10
11 to 30
> 31
Number of right holders
78
81
36
Total: 195
Highest over catch
367 kg
Lowest over catch
1 kg
Average Over catch
18.04 kg
5. (b) No action was taken against any right holder. As it is nearly impossible to catch an allocation exactly to the last kilogram; and given the closure of the fishery and the fact that most transgressions did not warrant formal penalties as per the permit conditions, the department did not institute formal proceedings against the transgressors.
Issued by: Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs
3 July 2009
