The transformation machine which seeks to give blacks a greater cut of South Africa’s R40-billion commercial fishery industry is rolling up the Eastern Cape coastline.
Fishing rights have been a bunfight in the past with courts involved in reviewing official involvement in companies awarded fishing rights in the 2013 round.
Yesterday the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Daff) fishing rights allocation process (Frap) roadshow came to Latimer’s Landing in the East London harbour. About 30 people pitched compared to only a handful in Port Alfred on Thursday.
Ten species were offered for rights applications, including hake (inshore and offshore); horse mackerel; Patagonian toothfish; West Coast lobster (inshore and offshore); KwaZulu-Natal sardines using beach seine nets; seaweed and abalone.
The meetings are being called to gather public response to assist Minister Senzeni Zokwana’s 2015-16 allocation of fishing rights.
Much of yesterday’s 80-minute session was dedicated to fisheries officials painstakingly explaining the application process. Application forms were projected onto a screen and an official ran through the requirements, including Section 1 which asks people to mark with an X “in respect of your race, black, white, coulored , Asian”. Asked if any commercially viable or sustainable marine resources existed from East London to the Wild Coast, deputy director of fisheries (marine resource management) Tembaletu Tanci said there was “not much available”.
Linefishers had to go down to Port Alfred and westwards, he said. However, there were resources for subsistence fishers of brown mussels, oysters and crayfish along the Wild Coast centred around Port St Johns.
Deputy director Odwa Dubula quickly commented: “Even if the fish is in Cape Town, it is not only for Capetonians, it is for the public so you can contest for any fish so long as you have the means to harvest it. There is no limit.”
Dubula said the department was supportive of training, the establishment of co-ops and access to vessels, “but the (number of) fish is the same (limited)”.
In his introduction, Tanci said the department was pushing ahead with promoting black ownership and access to fishing rights, and was “guarding against monopolies”.
Speakers from the floor, mostly from the Wild Coast and inland, wanted to know if the department would assist them with their applications.
Dubula said the cost of the Frap exercise would be R45-million, of which R10-million would be paid in fees by applicants and those who win the “privilege” of a fishing right.
Within minutes of the meeting ending, promotional paraphernalia was rolled up, papers packed away and the show headed off for meetings next week in Centane, Willowvale, Coffee Bay, Ngqeleni, Lusikisiki and Port St Johns.
Angling for more blacks in commercial fishing
Fishing rights have been a bunfight in the past with courts involved in reviewing official involvement in companies awarded fishing rights in the 2013 round.
Yesterday the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Daff) fishing rights allocation process (Frap) roadshow came to Latimer’s Landing in the East London harbour. About 30 people pitched compared to only a handful in Port Alfred on Thursday.
Ten species were offered for rights applications, including hake (inshore and offshore); horse mackerel; Patagonian toothfish; West Coast lobster (inshore and offshore); KwaZulu-Natal sardines using beach seine nets; seaweed and abalone.
The meetings are being called to gather public response to assist Minister Senzeni Zokwana’s 2015-16 allocation of fishing rights.
Much of yesterday’s 80-minute session was dedicated to fisheries officials painstakingly explaining the application process. Application forms were projected onto a screen and an official ran through the requirements, including Section 1 which asks people to mark with an X “in respect of your race, black, white, coulored , Asian”. Asked if any commercially viable or sustainable marine resources existed from East London to the Wild Coast, deputy director of fisheries (marine resource management) Tembaletu Tanci said there was “not much available”.
Linefishers had to go down to Port Alfred and westwards, he said. However, there were resources for subsistence fishers of brown mussels, oysters and crayfish along the Wild Coast centred around Port St Johns.
Deputy director Odwa Dubula quickly commented: “Even if the fish is in Cape Town, it is not only for Capetonians, it is for the public so you can contest for any fish so long as you have the means to harvest it. There is no limit.”
Dubula said the department was supportive of training, the establishment of co-ops and access to vessels, “but the (number of) fish is the same (limited)”.
In his introduction, Tanci said the department was pushing ahead with promoting black ownership and access to fishing rights, and was “guarding against monopolies”.
Speakers from the floor, mostly from the Wild Coast and inland, wanted to know if the department would assist them with their applications.
Dubula said the cost of the Frap exercise would be R45-million, of which R10-million would be paid in fees by applicants and those who win the “privilege” of a fishing right.
Within minutes of the meeting ending, promotional paraphernalia was rolled up, papers packed away and the show headed off for meetings next week in Centane, Willowvale, Coffee Bay, Ngqeleni, Lusikisiki and Port St Johns.
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