Hake Fisheries - Long Line

When compared to the South African hake trawl fishery, the hake longline fishery is relatively new. Longlining started in 1982. Between 1985 and 1990 much of the long line activity was re-directed from hake to kingklip as the latter was significantly more valuable. Due to concerns about the status of hake stocks, longlining for hake was terminated in 1990. Hake longlining was reintroduced as an experimental fishery in 1994. Commercial fishing rights under the MLRA were issued in 1999 and 2000, but these allocations were set aside by the courts. Stability was achieved in 2001 with the allocation of four-year commercial hake longline fishing rights.

The hake longline fishery is not a highly capital intensive fishery. The longline industry lands prime quality hake for export to Europe and the value of prime quality hake is approximately 50 percent higher than trawled hake. The total value of fish landed in the hake longline fishery is estimated to be worth approximately R280 million per annum.

South Africa manages the hake longline fishery as part of a "hake" collective. In terms of the MLRA, a "global" total allowable catch ("TAC") for hake is set annually by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The hake longline and handline fisheries share 10 percent of the global TAC. The hake deep sea trawl fishery is allocated 83 percent of the TAC and the balance is fished by the hake inshore trawl fishery.

Hake longline fishing takes place along the west and south east coasts. The fishery operates out of harbours from Port Nolloth to Port Elizabeth. The fishery operates in offshore and inshore waters. Inshore hake longlining is restricted to the use of no more than 4 000 hooks per line. Offshore longlining may only take place in depths greater than 110 metres and is restricted to the use of no more than 20 000 hooks per line. Vessels and operating costs differ between inshore and offshore operations.

Hake stocks are currently managed according to a conservative strategy. The TAC for hake has been reduced each year since 2003 and further reductions may be necessary.

Sector Facts (FOR SECTOR DETAILS PLEASE EMAIL FEIKE AT ssonday@feike.co.za)



Sector Challenges: Feike?s analysis of the allocation of rights and policy objectives for this fishery indicates the following challenges:

• The allocation of so many unviable quotas will pose the greatest challenge to the economic viability of this fishery. In addition, certain further reduction in the TAC over the next 3 years will almost certainly force many of the right holders in this fishery to become paper quota holders.
• The allocation of rights to so many more right holders ? many of whom are paper quota holders - than can be sustainably maintained in this fishery will certainly place significant biological pressure on SA hake stocks. This fishery, which targets adult females, in particular required a significant reduction in effort perhaps to approximately 80 right holders to ensure a sustainable fishery over the next 15 years.

Sector Opportunities: Feike believes that the allocation of long-term rights will provide the hake long line fishery with the following opportunities:

• The most significant opportunity for any right holder in the hake long line fishery will be to engage in consolidation discussions with fellow quota holders in a bid to ensure the economic and environmental sustainability of