Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism - Media Statement - For
immediate release - 4 December 2007 - The
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism,
Marthinus van Schalkwyk, has yesterday, Monday,
3 December 2007 gazetted draft regulations
to prohibit diving in certain areas to further
protect the abalone resource. This comes in
the wake of the suspension of the commercial
abalone fishery, which will be implemented
from the 1st of February 2008.
The abalone resource is threatened with extinction
and urgent drastic measures are required to
prevent this resource from total collapse.
Over the past 10 years the total allowable
catch (TAC) has been reduced annually from
615 tons in 1995 to a record low of 125 tons
for the 2006/7 season and an all time emergency
low of 75 tons for 2007/8. In 2003 a moratorium
on the recreational abalone fishery had been
placed due to the rapid declining of the resource.
A suspension of the commercial fishery is
considered as the only viable option at this
stage to provide an opportunity to prevent
a total commercial collapse of this highly
valued, almost globally extinct resource.
The decline of the resource is caused by
two factors mainly which are poaching and
the migration of rock lobsters from the West
Coast into abalone areas. Rock lobster feed
on sea urchins that provide shelter for juvenile
abalone. This subjects juvenile abalone to
increased mortality. Due to the high demand
and high value of abalone and extreme accessibility,
the levels of abalone poaching have escalated
despite governments attempts at curtailment.
South Africa is not unique in respect of
a nearly collapsed abalone resource. We are
unique in that we have an opportunity to recover
the resource. Abalone stocks worldwide have
faced severe declines over the past few decades
due to over-fishing, disease, habitat loss
and failed control of the illegal catch.
The objectives of the draft regulations amongst
others are to enable implementation of the
emergency suspension of the abalone Haliotis
fishery, establish measures for the protection
of wild abalone Haliotis and to promote the
recovery and rebuilding of the wild abalone
resource.
The listed areas are:
Bird Island Marine Protected Area declared
in GNR 696 of 4 June 2004
• Quoin Point to Danger Point (from the west
bank of the Ratel River along the coast to
the eastern boundary of Gansbaai Harbours
main breakwater wall, extending 2 nautical
miles seaward from the high watermark)
• Dyer Island, extending 1 nautical mile from
the high watermark
• Venus Pool to Olifantsbos (extending 2 nautical
miles seaward from the high watermark)
• Robben Island, extending 1 nautical mile
from the high watermark.
Interested and affected parties may submit
written comments to:
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Branch: Marine and Coastal Management
Attention: Risha Persad
Private Bag x2,
Roggebaai
8012
Written comments may be posted by registered
mail to above address or faxed to (021) 4023009.
Alternatively they can be emailed to Rpersad@deat.gov.za
All written comments must be received by the
Department by no later than 16h00 on 15 January
2008. Comments received after this time may
not be considered.
Issued by the Chief Directorate: Communications
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Visit our website: www.deat.gov.za
