Media Statement - STATEMENT
BY MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK, MINISTER OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM, REGARDING
THE SUSPENSION OF THE WILD ABALONE COMMERCIAL
SECTOR, WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER 2007
WEDNESDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2007: Cabinet last
week supported a recommendation from the
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism to suspend wild abalone (also known
as perlemoen) commercial fishing to ensure
the survival of the species. Cabinet was
also sensitive to the impact this decision
will have on the livlihoods of many families
in coastal communities and therefore approved
a Social Plan to mitigate these impacts.
We will further engage communities on the
Social plan to mitigate these impacts. This
plan includes our departments commitment
to developing a sustainable marine aquaculture
industry and the issuing of additional permits
for whale watching and shark cage diving.
I will tomorrow at the subsistence fishing
summit in Port Elizabeth announce further
detail regarding the far reaching interventions
we will be making in the marine aquaculture
industry.
I remain of the view that the abalone resource
is endangered due to ecological changes
and poaching. This fishery is in a crisis
and should be managed as an emergency. The
closure of the abalone fishery is the right
thing to do. There is also broad acknowledgment
that the resource is in a crisis.
I have applied my mind to the numerous
pleas I have received from communities regarding
the implementation date of the decision.
After carefully considering these appeals
I requested the department to see if there
could be a scientific basis to delay the
implementation date of this decision. After
receiving a report from them earlier this
morning and taking into account the socio
economic implications of this important
decision, I have decided to delay the implementation
of the decision to 1 February 2008.
I want to reiterate that to suspend fishing
in any fishery is a very difficult decision
to take as we are aware that such a decision
will have an impact on the livelihoods of
many people and families in the industry.
Our decision today will ensure that communities
will over the festive season and the start
of the new school term have some source
of income. We will also use this opportunity
to engage communities on the Social Plan
to mitigate these impacts.
I have accordingly determined, on the recommendation
from the departments researchers and management,
a Total Allowable Catch of 75 tons with
the following conditions.
The global TAC will be apportioned proportionately
among right holders
Right holders will be expected to follow
the normal permitting process
A limited group of harvesters and vessels
be nominated by right holders to fish on
behalf of the rest
Right holders be consulted on specific allocation
and harvesting arrangements
The fishery will close on 31 January 2008
The TAC will be apportioned as follows.
Zone A (Gansbaai to Die Dam): zero (unchanged)
Zone B (Gansbaai): 25 tons (reduced from
75 tons)
Zone C (Hermanus / Hawston): zero (unchanged)
Zone D (Cape Hangklip to Betties Bay): zero
(unchanged)
Zone E (Kommetjie): 12 tons (unchanged)
Zone F (Robben Island): 20 tons (unchanged)
Zone G (Yzerfontein): 18 tons (unchanged)
To ensure that the suspension of harvesting
is observed we will continue efforts to
clamp down on poaching. I am encouraged
by the reaction from some communities that
they are willing to work with government
in this regard. Furthermore, the department
will consult with stakeholders on the possibility
of imposing a diving ban in certain areas
to further protect the abalone resource.
The department will continue to closely
assess the stock levels of abalone.
Mava Scott (Acting Chief Director: Communications)
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Aviation is the Key to Tourism Growth
Speech - SPEECH BY MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK,
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM
AT THE ANNUAL TOURISM CONFERENCE, SANDTON
CONVENTION CENTRE, 29 OCTOBER 2007
Introduction
Our arrival statistics of the past year
amplifies the fact that we have ignited
the South African brand and we are using
it to set alight the possibilities. From
China to Paris, from New York to Nairobi
the word is out - South Africa is the place
where everything is possible, and all people
are welcome.
I therefore believe the three crucial outcomes
of this conference focusing on aviation
and tourism should be on how do we make
it possible to get more tourists, more spend
per tourist and a better spread of tourism
across our provinces.
Tourism Growth and Air Markets
Our tourism growth strategy, spanning 3
years from 2008 - 2010 has identified key
markets for South Africa. This has been
achieved by in depth research and we now
know which markets are mature, ready to
explore South Africa and which are developing
markets ready to be tapped. Our key to growth
in the tourism industry is aviation.
We have 9 core air markets that we have
identified that account for 55% of all arrivals
of international tourists in South Africa.
They are Australia, France, Germany, India,
Kenya, Nigeria, Netherlands, United Kingdom
and the United States of America. What’s
interesting is that they spend 61% of the
foreign spend in our country.
Last year we welcomed more than 8.3 million
tourists to our country. We however have
enormous potential to grow our industry
as there are over 76 million tourists that
have been identified as our potential market.
What makes this number very significant
is that the 76 million tourists identified
are just from the 9 core air markets. A
whole other world out there is also waiting
to visit South Africa. When we delve further
into the statistics we see that 27,6% of
all tourists arrive by air. This represents
2,3 million tourists in total brought to
our shores by our partners in aviation.
These facts speak for themselves and they
are the rationale for focusing on partnering
with the aviation industry.
We believe that tourists from air markets
could double if we have more flights, the
right packaging, the right connectivity,
competitive pricing and the right partnership
with the aviation industry.
Airlift Challenges
Thus far, the implementation of the airlift
strategy - the result of a strong partnership
between our department, South African Tourism,
the Department of Transport and the private
sector - has shown impressive increases
in capacity to bring tourists to South Africa.
Between September 2006 and January this
year, rights for almost 1.4 million additional
seats per year were secured on the network.
I know that Minister Jeff Radebe will talk
more about this initiative.
There is no doubt that the competition
that has been created with more flights
to our country, coupled with the introduction
of low cost, no frills carriers internally
has resulted in South Africa becoming more
competitive. Despite the great strides we
have made, we need to further advance our
competitiveness if we want to close the
price gap. As an example I would like to
mention that you can fly from London to
Sydney, a 23 hour flight for 40% less that
you can fly 11 hours from London to Johannesburg.
We understand that the markets are different
and the volumes of passengers might be different,
but we believe the potential tourist does
not see it this way.
Our potential market knows how to look
for value for money and we’ve got to make
sure that we provide it. And this requires
a stronger alliance between the tourism
and aviation sectors.
In growing our destination we need to enhance
the way we package South Africa with other
African countries. Our internal connectivity
also needs to be focused on ways to utilize
the total range of our airports. This will
result in us being able to move tourists
from the more obvious destinations into
the hinterland of South Africa and create
a totally new holiday experience for them
in the process.
The massive development going on at our
airports must be welcomed as this will increase
capacity and ensure better service to our
tourists.
Job creation
Tourism’s total contribution to job creation
by 2006 amounted to
947 530 jobs. This was an increase of 9.6%
over 2005.
This is the reason why the tourism industry
has been given such high priority in terms
of ASGISA’s plan to reduce poverty and unemployment,
and to raise the level of economic growth.
Tourism’s estimated contribution to GDP
increased from 4,6% in 1993 to 8,3% in 2006.
However, we are ambitious and would like
to see the GDP contribution of tourism rise
to 12% by 2014. We are confident that we
can build on the achievements of a solid
partnership between government, the statutory
bodies and the tourism industry.
Jobs and business opportunities created
in tourism have special significance for
economies such as ours. They help to spread
opportunities beyond our major metropolitan
areas to rural areas. They create incentives
- not only to remain in rural areas, but
also to develop, take pride in, and showcase
local hospitality and culture.
For every 12 international tourists who
visit our country, we create one job in
our country. And our goal is to get this
down to 8 tourists creating one job.
Conclusion
These goals are not going to be achieved
in isolation. It’s going to take realistic
partnerships, effective collaboration, significant
innovation and a spirit of total co-operation.
In essence what this conference is all about.
In preparing for this conference we are
focusing on 4 commissions today, these are:
the role of carriers in growing the tourism
markets
inter-modal transport and infrastructure
safety and security at airports and
knowledge generation and management
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have over 400 people
in this room drawn from a diverse range
of activities and with a diverse knowledge
and experience base. We need your thinking
today. We need to hear your opinions.
Through better understanding, we can all
make better decisions, and ultimately we
need to align our thinking into a common
framework, a common purpose and a common
vision.
I would like to thank you for committing
to this conference and seeing the partnership
between tourism and aviation as a top priority.
Ladies and Gentlemen, enjoy the day and
once again welcome to our annual national
tourism conference.
