Boats, research and running costs: what the new fisheries draft would require

Fishers seeking to enter exploratory projects under South Africa’s draft wild marine fisheries policy would have to show fishing experience and vessel access, research the resource and prepare a two-year operating plan.

The proposal was gazetted on 23 October as Government Notice 8084 in Gazette 55620. Coastal consultations are taking place this month. Fishing Industry News SA’s 9 November reproduction of the department’s public notice gives midnight on 27 November as the written-comment deadline and lists NFPolicy@dffe.gov.za for submissions.

The draft aims to widen access for historically disadvantaged communities while keeping new fisheries ecologically sustainable. Its minimum entry criteria include knowledge of fishing grounds and the ability to obtain or manufacture suitable gear. Applicants would have to identify gaps in biological, ecological, socio-economic and fisheries knowledge before applying.

Vessel access could take several forms, including ownership, part-ownership, charter or catch agreements. The department would assess whether the proposed vessel was suitable for the fishery. Safety certification and licensing requirements would also apply.

The operating plan would cover funding, costs, stakeholder engagement and transformation. Permits would be issued annually. Observer programmes would be designed and funded project by project, generally on a user-pays basis.

For cooperatives preparing comments, one useful approach is to set out the expected cost of research, vessels and monitoring, then explain what support or changes would make participation workable. Shared research, application guidance and vessel arrangements are possible subjects for a submission.

The Gazette lists Dr Mark Rothman for enquiries at MRothman@dffe.gov.za and 083 564 3440. It also lists MRothman@dffe.gov.za and QMketsu@dffe.gov.za as comment addresses. Writers using the later notice’s NFPolicy mailbox can copy those addresses and identify the notice and provision they want changed.

Keep a copy of the submission. The Gazette says comments and responses will be made public; anyone objecting to publication of their name must state that objection explicitly and in bold.