Minister
Van Schalkwyk Doubles The Allocation of WCRT (Near
Shore) Long-Term Fishing Rights On Appeal
SUNDAY, 4 JUNE 2006: The Minister
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus
van Schalkwyk, has today announced the allocation
of 392 additional long-term fishing rights in
the West Coast Rock Lobster (WCRL) near-shore
fishery sector, nearly doubling the total number
of allocations from 418 to 812. These rights will
be valid for a period of 10 years.
The area where WCRL rights are
allocated stretches from Port Nolloth to Gansbaai.
Highlighting some of the factors
that impacted on the WCRL (near-shore) long-term
fishing rights allocations, Minister van Schalkwyk
cited that “approximately 70% of WCRL catches
30 years ago occurred higher up on the West Coast
from Port Nolloth to the Saldanha area – whilst
90% is now caught between Dassen Island and the
Cape Peninsula. Research conducted by marine scientists,
confirms this shift in the distribution of marine
resources. This has already resulted in a decline
of fish landing in the West Coast areas and has
resulted in the introduction of a small scale
commercial fishery sector in the area East of
Hangklip, which further confirms the shift in
distribution of the resource.” The Minister added
that “therefore the total allowable catch (TAC)
for WCRL was reduced by 10%. The near-shore sector
absorbed 5.6% of this reduction. With a total
number of 4070 applications, and a declining resource,
the responsibility of government remains to ensure
the environmental sustainability of the fishery,
the Minister said.
The finalization of the allocations
in the WCRL sector followed an extensive public
participation process which involved a series
of Ministerial Izimbizo, the release of draft
policies for public comment in four different
languages, and road-shows held in more than 53
towns reaching over 6000 fishers. Apart from thousands
of oral comments which were recorded, more than
900 written comments were also received which
culminated in Cabinet approval of the final policies
in May 2005.
“We gave serious and careful
consideration to the comments received”, Minister
van Schalkwyk explained. Many right holders in
the WCRL near-shore sector complained that medium
term allocations, in 2001, were too small and
not economically viable. In 2001, 100 allocations
were less than 500kgs. In 2006, only 9 were less
than 500kgs, the Minister said.
Another comment received indicated
that bona fide fishermen that have historically
been involved in the fishery sector should be
preferred. “We responded to that by allocating
rights to most applicants who could prove that
they worked as crew on lobster vessels because
their names appear on bakkieslips”, the Minister
explained. The ‘bakkieslip’ is a document fishers
complete every time they come back from sea. “Only
in the Hermanus area, which was wholly oversubscribed,
could some of the crew members not be accommodated
as right holders”.
The previous (medium-term) right
holders who made investments in vessels were also
re-allocated fishing rights, following comments
received indicating those who have made investment
in vessels should be preferred.
“The department also enhanced
the already high level of transparency by publishing
lists in each zone containing the details of all
applicants and the provisional successful applicants
for comment. All the comments received were considered.
In some cases those on the provisionally successful
lists were not allocated rights because the Rights
Verification Unit’s investigation of a comment
received revealed that the provisionally successful
applicant was not genuinely reliant on the West
Coast Rock Lobster resource or that the application
suffered from some other defect.
The department also decreased the application
fee from R565 in 2001 to only R300 in 2006,” the
Minister added.
Speaking on the issue of affirmation of women
fishers, Minister van Schalkwyk stated that long-term
fishing rights have been allocated to women fishers
in all the zones. In zone G -Gansbaai, for example
63,26% of the total number of rights have been
allocated to women. In Zone D a total of 26.42
% rights are held by women whilst a total of 44%
fishing rights are allocated to women in Zone
C.
Confirming the closing dates for the 2006 West
Coast Rock Lobster (near-shore) fishing season,
Minister van Schalkwyk indicated the closing date
for fishing in Zone A was the 30th April 2006.
However, on application, successful appellants
from Zone A will be permitted to have their allocation
caught in another Zone, as a once-off concession.
The closing date for fishing in all the other
zones remains the 30th June 2006.
Minister van Schalkwyk concluded
by indicating that the total number of allocations
represent the maximum number of rights that could
be accommodated in the west coast rock lobster
near-shore sector in a responsible manner which
will ensure the environmental sustainability of
the fishery.
