Fish Management
The South African fishing industry is regulated by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and in particular its branch, Marine and Coastal Management, located in Cape Town. South Africa manages its fisheries strictly in terms of a regulated or 'closed' system. All forms of fishing may only occur in terms of a fishing permit or fishing right.
The branch Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) is led by a deputy director-general (the DDG) and four chief directors, respectively responsible for finance, fisheries research, fisheries management and fisheries compliance. The post of DDG was created in 2001 after it was recognised that the fisheries division required more senior standing in a large Government department with a host of other responsibilities. MCM's core function is the sustainable management of South Africa's fish stocks. In addition, section 2(j) of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998) requires the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to have regard to the need to restructure and transform the South African fishing industry due to the inequitable policies of apartheid. Given that the Minister is responsible in terms of the Act to allocate fishing rights (or quota's) and the volatile nature of managing fisheries in South Africa as anywhere else, recent Ministers responsible for this portfolio have paid exceptional attention to fisheries issues.
South Africa is a participating member in the Food and Agriculture Organisation and regularly attends meetings of the Committee on Fisheries. South Africa complies with FAO Code on Responsible Fishing but has yet to formally implement any of the National Plans of Action required by FAO in terms of its International Plans of Action on IUU Fishing, Effort and Capacity or Sharks. South Africa was also a key contributor to the development of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (2002).
South Africa's Marine and Coastal Management branch regulates 22 commercial fisheries, fish processing (whether on board vessels or on land) and aquaculture. In addition, MCM regulates subsistence and recreational fishing. Commercial fishing may only take place in terms of a fishing right or quota allocated by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The following commercial fisheries are regulated:
Highly Capital Intensive Fisheries:
The South African commercial fishing industry landed approximately 650 000 tons of fish in 2005. The gross landed value of fish is approximately R4,5 billion (750 million US dollars). South Africa's most valuable fishery is the hake fishery (trawl and line) worth more than 40% of the total landed value of the South African fisheries. The small pelagic fishery (anchovy and sardine) is responsible for the largest quantum of fish landed of all the commercial fisheries, landing approximately 400 000 tons of pelagic fish (including red eye herring).
In 2005 & 2006, South Africa allocated long-term commercial fishing quotas for the very first time in its history. These quotas have been allocated for periods ranging from 8 years to 15 years. For more information on the quotas allocated on a fishery-by-fishery basis, please visit Feike's South African Fisheries pages. In addition to the commercial fishing quotas allocated, more than 2000 authorisations have been issued to subsistence fishers who fish for resources such as line fish, mussels, abalone, east coast rock lobster and oysters for purposes of food security. Furthermore, some 1 million people fish on a recreational basis for line fish and other game fish species along the South African coast either from the shore or from ski-boats, which are easily launched into the sea from either small landing sites or from the beach into the surf.
South Africa's commercial fisheries are generally well organised. The highly capital intensive fisheries in particular are organised into recognised industrial bodies that represent their members' interests on important bodies such as fisheries research and management working groups that advise the MCM heads of research and fisheries management on a range of matters.
South Africa's fisheries are broadly managed in terms of four principal management tools. These are in terms of ?
Of South Africa's 22 commercial fisheries, 9 are managed in terms of total allowable catches ('TAC') only. One (South coast rock lobster) is managed in terms of a combination of a TAC and a total applied effort (sea day restrictions). The remaining fisheries are regulated in terms of a TAE only, which includes restricting vessel numbers or gear, crew numbers or sea days (or a combination of the three).
The South African commercial fisheries are generally well managed with current and reliable catch and research data. The biological status of fish stocks is also broadly understood, with all fisheries being either optimally or maximally exploited, save for abalone and certain traditional line fish stocks. Abalone TAC's have fallen dramatically over the last 6 years as the effects of decades of over-fishing and poaching are now impacting on operational management procedures. In addition, the intrusion of larger numbers of west coast rock lobster in formerly abalone rich areas, has impacted negatively on the spawning rates of abalone. With respect to traditional line fish stocks (which comprises some 200 different fish species), 19 species are categorised as 'collapsed', with a further 50 categorised as over-exploited.
In accordance with the international law, South Africa has enacted legislation in terms of which it declared a 200 mile exclusive economic zone adjacent to its 3000 kilometre coastline. All commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing may only occur within the EEZ, unless otherwise authorised by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
For more information on South Africa's commercial fishing rights process, you are welcome to contact Feike's Shaheen Moolla or Horst Kleinschmidt.
The South African fishing industry is regulated by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and in particular its branch, Marine and Coastal Management, located in Cape Town. South Africa manages its fisheries strictly in terms of a regulated or 'closed' system. All forms of fishing may only occur in terms of a fishing permit or fishing right.
The branch Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) is led by a deputy director-general (the DDG) and four chief directors, respectively responsible for finance, fisheries research, fisheries management and fisheries compliance. The post of DDG was created in 2001 after it was recognised that the fisheries division required more senior standing in a large Government department with a host of other responsibilities. MCM's core function is the sustainable management of South Africa's fish stocks. In addition, section 2(j) of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998) requires the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to have regard to the need to restructure and transform the South African fishing industry due to the inequitable policies of apartheid. Given that the Minister is responsible in terms of the Act to allocate fishing rights (or quota's) and the volatile nature of managing fisheries in South Africa as anywhere else, recent Ministers responsible for this portfolio have paid exceptional attention to fisheries issues.
South Africa is a participating member in the Food and Agriculture Organisation and regularly attends meetings of the Committee on Fisheries. South Africa complies with FAO Code on Responsible Fishing but has yet to formally implement any of the National Plans of Action required by FAO in terms of its International Plans of Action on IUU Fishing, Effort and Capacity or Sharks. South Africa was also a key contributor to the development of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (2002).
South Africa's Marine and Coastal Management branch regulates 22 commercial fisheries, fish processing (whether on board vessels or on land) and aquaculture. In addition, MCM regulates subsistence and recreational fishing. Commercial fishing may only take place in terms of a fishing right or quota allocated by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The following commercial fisheries are regulated:
Highly Capital Intensive Fisheries:
- Hake deep sea trawl;
- Hake inshore trawl;
- Small pelagics;
- South coast rock lobster;
- Horse mackerel;
- Patagonian Toothfish;
- KwaZulu-Natal Prawn Trawl.
- Large pelagics (tuna and swordfish long line)
- West Coast Rock Lobster (offshore);
- Hake long line;
- Squid;
- Tuna pole;
- Abalone;
- Seaweed;
- Demersal shark
- West coast rock lobster (nearshore);
- Hake handline;
- Traditional line fish;
- Net fishing;
- Beach seining (in the KwaZulu-Natal Province)
- White mussels;
- Oysters.
The South African commercial fishing industry landed approximately 650 000 tons of fish in 2005. The gross landed value of fish is approximately R4,5 billion (750 million US dollars). South Africa's most valuable fishery is the hake fishery (trawl and line) worth more than 40% of the total landed value of the South African fisheries. The small pelagic fishery (anchovy and sardine) is responsible for the largest quantum of fish landed of all the commercial fisheries, landing approximately 400 000 tons of pelagic fish (including red eye herring).
In 2005 & 2006, South Africa allocated long-term commercial fishing quotas for the very first time in its history. These quotas have been allocated for periods ranging from 8 years to 15 years. For more information on the quotas allocated on a fishery-by-fishery basis, please visit Feike's South African Fisheries pages. In addition to the commercial fishing quotas allocated, more than 2000 authorisations have been issued to subsistence fishers who fish for resources such as line fish, mussels, abalone, east coast rock lobster and oysters for purposes of food security. Furthermore, some 1 million people fish on a recreational basis for line fish and other game fish species along the South African coast either from the shore or from ski-boats, which are easily launched into the sea from either small landing sites or from the beach into the surf.
South Africa's commercial fisheries are generally well organised. The highly capital intensive fisheries in particular are organised into recognised industrial bodies that represent their members' interests on important bodies such as fisheries research and management working groups that advise the MCM heads of research and fisheries management on a range of matters.
South Africa's fisheries are broadly managed in terms of four principal management tools. These are in terms of ?
- Total allowable catches;
- Total applied effort controls;
- A combination of the two management methods stated above;
- Marine protected areas or closed areas.
Of South Africa's 22 commercial fisheries, 9 are managed in terms of total allowable catches ('TAC') only. One (South coast rock lobster) is managed in terms of a combination of a TAC and a total applied effort (sea day restrictions). The remaining fisheries are regulated in terms of a TAE only, which includes restricting vessel numbers or gear, crew numbers or sea days (or a combination of the three).
The South African commercial fisheries are generally well managed with current and reliable catch and research data. The biological status of fish stocks is also broadly understood, with all fisheries being either optimally or maximally exploited, save for abalone and certain traditional line fish stocks. Abalone TAC's have fallen dramatically over the last 6 years as the effects of decades of over-fishing and poaching are now impacting on operational management procedures. In addition, the intrusion of larger numbers of west coast rock lobster in formerly abalone rich areas, has impacted negatively on the spawning rates of abalone. With respect to traditional line fish stocks (which comprises some 200 different fish species), 19 species are categorised as 'collapsed', with a further 50 categorised as over-exploited.
In accordance with the international law, South Africa has enacted legislation in terms of which it declared a 200 mile exclusive economic zone adjacent to its 3000 kilometre coastline. All commercial, subsistence and recreational fishing may only occur within the EEZ, unless otherwise authorised by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
For more information on South Africa's commercial fishing rights process, you are welcome to contact Feike's Shaheen Moolla or Horst Kleinschmidt.