Tuesday, April 9, 2019
South Africa is no longer a spectator country in the business of the
ocean and fisheries economy, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Senzeni Zokwana said on Tuesday.
“I am proud about the strides we have made as government within the
fisheries sector. The path we have started will put us on a higher plane in
creating more opportunities for our people,” said the Minister when he
briefed media on the strides South Africa has made in the ocean economy,
especially in fisheries.
Fisheries management remains a complex sector given the challenges of
the need to provide fair access to all in the ever shrinking resource, while
having to balance the conservation of such stocks for future generations.
“In the world of tuna management, South Africa has quickly emerged as a
leading light and a role model looked up to by many developing nations that are
participating in these RFMOs [Regional Fisheries Management Organisations].
“South Africa has not only improved and achieved a clean slate in terms
of their compliance with adopted conservation management measures and reporting
requirements, but also makes a significant contribution to the scientific
investigations and management of tuna and other large pelagic species,” he
said.
No less than 20 papers and presentations were prepared and delivered by
South African fisheries scientists this year, an unprecedented contribution
which was specifically acknowledged during the meeting of the Standing Committee
on Research and Statistics and International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tuna.
Zokwana said departmental scientist, Dr Henning Winker, has developed a
stock assessment tool – originally developed for assessments of the South
African line fishery – which is now being launched in Spain.
“South Africa is gaining influence and starts to increase pressure on
countries that fish unsustainably. South Africa’s strategy – improvement of its
own allocation were possible with concurrent recovery of the stocks – was
successful and our fishery will be able to reap the benefits of the increasing
number of fishes in our waters in the years to come,” said Zokwana.
Unlike in the inshore fisheries, which are severely oversubscribed in
South Africa, the domestic tuna quotas remain largely underutilised. Also,
large parts of the stocks of Southern Bluefin, Bigeye and Yellowfin tuna are
fished by distant water fishing nations.
“The value of the fish right on South Africa’s ‘stoep’ is close to a
Billion Rand and South Africa, with its excellent infrastructure, is well
placed to net increased benefits from this resource to alleviate the pressure
on its nearshore resources.
“The net has been cast, now it is time to start the long haul,” said
Zokwana.
The Minister said the department is also looking at establishing
multispecies hatcheries in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape that will support
community based aquaculture farms, stocks enhancement and skills development.
To promote transformation of the sector and to ensure support for small
scale and rural aquaculture enterprises, Zokwana said that the department is
developing a small scale aquaculture model and transformation strategy.
“To create an enabling environment, DAFF is implementing Aquaculture
Development Zones (ADZs). These are areas earmarked for aquaculture value chain
activities with all relevant authorisations in place and relevant basic
infrastructure in order to reduce the cost of doing business,” the Minister
said.
All the authorisations were received for Saldanha Bay in the Western
Cape as well as Qolora and Coega in the Eastern Cape ADZs.
The environmental impact assessments for the Amatikulu in KwaZulu-Natal
and Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape ADZ’s are still underway. The department in
partnership with provincial departments are piloting aquaculture in the Van der
Kloof Dam in the Northern Cape, Nandoni Dam in Limpopo, Disaneng in the North
West and Richard’s Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.
He said he was proud that government has started to introduce small
scale fisheries in coastal provinces which will see massive jobs creation while
at the same time building new economic players within the fisheries sector.
“We will continue to drive transformation and diversification within the
sector bringing those who were previously disadvantaged as critical players.”
The number of Operation Phakisa projects has increased from 24 to 35.
These projects have committed to increase production in the sector from 5000 to
25 000 tons, create over 3000 additional jobs and increase GDP contribution by
over R 1 billion per annum.
South Africa’s fish consumption is comparably low at around 8kg per
person per annum versus the global average of 19kg per person per annum.
Therefore, in order to increase the consumption of fish locally, the department
is to embark on a marketing and awareness programme nationally. – SAnews.gov.za
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
South Africa is no longer a spectator country in the business of the
ocean and fisheries economy, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Senzeni Zokwana said on Tuesday.
“I am proud about the strides we have made as government within the
fisheries sector. The path we have started will put us on a higher plane in
creating more opportunities for our people,” said the Minister when he
briefed media on the strides South Africa has made in the ocean economy,
especially in fisheries.
Fisheries management remains a complex sector given the challenges of
the need to provide fair access to all in the ever shrinking resource, while
having to balance the conservation of such stocks for future generations.
“In the world of tuna management, South Africa has quickly emerged as a
leading light and a role model looked up to by many developing nations that are
participating in these RFMOs [Regional Fisheries Management Organisations].
“South Africa has not only improved and achieved a clean slate in terms
of their compliance with adopted conservation management measures and reporting
requirements, but also makes a significant contribution to the scientific
investigations and management of tuna and other large pelagic species,” he
said.
No less than 20 papers and presentations were prepared and delivered by
South African fisheries scientists this year, an unprecedented contribution
which was specifically acknowledged during the meeting of the Standing Committee
on Research and Statistics and International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tuna.
Zokwana said departmental scientist, Dr Henning Winker, has developed a
stock assessment tool – originally developed for assessments of the South
African line fishery – which is now being launched in Spain.
“South Africa is gaining influence and starts to increase pressure on
countries that fish unsustainably. South Africa’s strategy – improvement of its
own allocation were possible with concurrent recovery of the stocks – was
successful and our fishery will be able to reap the benefits of the increasing
number of fishes in our waters in the years to come,” said Zokwana.
Unlike in the inshore fisheries, which are severely oversubscribed in
South Africa, the domestic tuna quotas remain largely underutilised. Also,
large parts of the stocks of Southern Bluefin, Bigeye and Yellowfin tuna are
fished by distant water fishing nations.
“The value of the fish right on South Africa’s ‘stoep’ is close to a
Billion Rand and South Africa, with its excellent infrastructure, is well
placed to net increased benefits from this resource to alleviate the pressure
on its nearshore resources.
“The net has been cast, now it is time to start the long haul,” said
Zokwana.
The Minister said the department is also looking at establishing
multispecies hatcheries in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape that will support
community based aquaculture farms, stocks enhancement and skills development.
To promote transformation of the sector and to ensure support for small
scale and rural aquaculture enterprises, Zokwana said that the department is
developing a small scale aquaculture model and transformation strategy.
“To create an enabling environment, DAFF is implementing Aquaculture
Development Zones (ADZs). These are areas earmarked for aquaculture value chain
activities with all relevant authorisations in place and relevant basic
infrastructure in order to reduce the cost of doing business,” the Minister
said.
All the authorisations were received for Saldanha Bay in the Western
Cape as well as Qolora and Coega in the Eastern Cape ADZs.
The environmental impact assessments for the Amatikulu in KwaZulu-Natal
and Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape ADZ’s are still underway. The department in
partnership with provincial departments are piloting aquaculture in the Van der
Kloof Dam in the Northern Cape, Nandoni Dam in Limpopo, Disaneng in the North
West and Richard’s Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.
He said he was proud that government has started to introduce small
scale fisheries in coastal provinces which will see massive jobs creation while
at the same time building new economic players within the fisheries sector.
“We will continue to drive transformation and diversification within the
sector bringing those who were previously disadvantaged as critical players.”
The number of Operation Phakisa projects has increased from 24 to 35.
These projects have committed to increase production in the sector from 5000 to
25 000 tons, create over 3000 additional jobs and increase GDP contribution by
over R 1 billion per annum.
South Africa’s fish consumption is comparably low at around 8kg per
person per annum versus the global average of 19kg per person per annum.
Therefore, in order to increase the consumption of fish locally, the department
is to embark on a marketing and awareness programme nationally. – SAnews.gov.za
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