Commencing in the 1890s, the demersal trawl fishery (deep-sea and inshore sectors) is South Africa's most important fishery and, for the last decade, it has accounted for more than one half of the wealth generated from commercial fisheries. Although the inshore trawl fishery was pioneered at the start of the twentieth century, it was only in the 1950's that the fishery took on a commercial face when smaller trawlers entered the fishery to target hakes and the more valuable Agulhas sole (Austroglossus pectoralis). The inshore trawl fishery continues as a "dual quota" fishery targeting both shallow-water hake (Merluccius capensis) and Agulhas sole.
As was the case with the deep-sea trawl fishery, prior to 1978, the inshore trawl fishery was largely unregulated and participants were not restricted to a maximum catch limit. In 1978, the demersal fishery was formally separated into inshore and offshore sectors, a global annual total allowable catch ("TAC") was introduced and was divided between the sectors. An annual sole TAC was also set. Individual quotas were introduced in 1982. Since then, an annual TAC has been set for both the Cape hakes and for Agulhas sole. The inshore trawl fishery has been managed in terms of a sole TAC and a portion of the hake TAC. The sectoral allocation of the global hake TAC has remained remarkably stable at around 6 percent.
South Africa manages the inshore trawl fishery as part of a "hake collective". In terms of the MLRA, a "global" TAC for all hakes (both species combined) is set annually by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Of the global hake TAC a reserve to cover by-catch in the horse mackerel fishery is set aside prior to distribution among the hake fishing sectors. Currently the global hake TAC (after deduction of the horse mackerel by-catch reserve) is distributed among the deep-sea trawl, inshore trawl, hake lone line and hake handline fishery sectors without regard to the hake species split in the respective fishery sectors. In terms of that arrangement, 83% is allocated to deep-sea trawl, 6% to inshore trawl and 10% is shared between hake long line and hake handline. However, a sectoral allocation procedure that takes cognisance of the species taken by that sector and the contribution of that species to the global TAC may have to be developed in order to match hake exploitation to the productivity of the two hake species. In terms of such a procedure, the sectoral allocation of hake to the Inshore Trawl Fishery would be determined only by the status of the shallow-water hake resource.
Inshore trawl grounds are located between Cape Agulhas in the west and the Great Kei River in the east. To protect the inshore areas, vessels operating in the inshore fishery may not exceed 30m and may not use heavy trawl gear. In addition, vessels fishing on deep-sea trawl permits may not operate in water depths of less than 110 metres or within 20 nautical miles of the coast, whichever is the greater distance from the coast. However, inshore vessels are not restricted from fishing deeper than 110m. Trawling for hake occurs throughout the traditional "inshore" area i.e. in waters shallower than the 110m isobath and on the two offshore fishing grounds. Trawling for Agulhas sole is in water depths of 50-80m, mainly between Mossel Bay and Struisbaai, in areas where the substrate consists of mud/shale. Most of the bays on the South coast are closed to trawling.
The inshore trawl fishery is not as capital intensive as the deep-sea trawl fishery, but significant investments in the form of vessels, processing and marketing infrastructure have nevertheless been made by the existing participants. Sector Facts (FOR SECTOR DETAILS PLEASE EMAIL FEIKE AT ssonday@feike.co.za) PMCL: Percentage of Black Right Holders: Ownership of Right Holders by Women: Jobs Sustained: Gross Asset Value: Mean Annual Turnover of Right Holders: Mean Profit after Tax: Number of Vessels: Number of Right Holders: Duration of Rights: 01 January 2006 to 31 December 2015 Sector Challenges: Feike's analysis of the allocation of rights and policy objectives for this fishery indicates the following challenges:
- Managing the increasingly vocal international (and local) ecological concerns of trawling;
- Maintaining MSC certification, particularly with growing gaps in research, management and compliance;
- Reducing effort levels in the fishery, particularly effort creep over the long term;
- Preparing for performance measuring exercises;
- Increasing not only black ownership of the TAC through "internal transformation" but also focusing increasingly on the empowerment of staff, women and the communities in which right holders operate.
- Consolidation of the number of right holders;
- Strategic co-management relationships with Marine and Coastal Management, particularly with respect to research and management;
- Strengthening of the Industry representative body, particularly to drive the agenda around performance measuring and EAF;
- Using the MSC certification to more effectively market SA hake, notwithstanding a decreasing TAC and growing opposition to trawling, particularly in Europe.
view INSHORE TRAWL POLICY