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Environment Portfolio Committee

Abalone Fishery. Environment Portfolio Committee. André Share Chief Director: Marine Resource Management. 09 March 2010. Western Cape - Abalone Fishery. Abalone fishery – single sp. – Haliotis midae Fishery extends over 580km from Cape Columbine (near St Helena Bay) to

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Environment Portfolio Committee

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  1. Abalone Fishery Environment Portfolio Committee André Share Chief Director: Marine Resource Management 09 March 2010

  2. Western Cape - Abalone Fishery • Abalone fishery – single sp. • – Haliotis midae • Fishery extends over 580km • from Cape Columbine • (near St Helena Bay) to • Quoin Point (near Gansbaai). • Slow growing • - sexual maturity: 7yrs. • - minimum legal size:8-9 yrs. • (114mm shell breadth). • High value species.

  3. Western Cape - Abalone Fishery • 302 Right Holders. • Zone A: 27 • Zone B: 34 • Zone C: 167 • Zone D: 18 • Zone E: 47 • Zone F: 0 • Zone G: 9 • Divers: 262. • Legal Entities: 42. • (Close Corporations)

  4. Annual Landings of abalone (in tons) for the commercial and recreational sectors • Abalone: severely depleted. • - suspension of wild harvesting (closed).

  5. Abalone Fishery Stock in Decline Fishery Independent Surveys show decline in all major fishing zones (number of abalone per 60m2 transect)

  6. Causes • Ecosystem Effects • Incursion of rock lobster. • Relationship between abalone, sea urchins and rock lobsters. • Poaching (Illegal harvesting) • Took off in the early 1990’s. • More than 60% of the poached abalone are below the minimum legal size.

  7. Western Cape - Abalone Fishery • Abalone fishery closed on 1 February 2008 and diving ban imposed due to: • Unsustainable fishery • Poaching rife/organised crime. • Ecological factor (eg. WCRL migration). • Sparsely populated. • Closed to protect remaining viable areas.

  8. Dive Ban Areas Cape & Quoin Point Areas

  9. Dive Ban Areas Bird Island Area (Eastern Cape)

  10. Eastern Cape • 25% of coastline along which abalone • considered to be present is protected by • MPA restricted zones and closed areas. • No previous commercial activity. • Experimental fishery (Hamburg): • (1999-2001).

  11. Eastern Cape • Lack of knowledge – status of resource / • paucity of data. • Poaching rife: no regard for size limits. • >90% poached abalone below MLS (114mm).

  12. Eastern Cape • Possible catches: • - 7 areas (non reserves): 1.5 ton per area. • - Coastline length: 409km. • Potential Areas: • - Groot River to Kabeljous River. • - Maitlands River to Cape Recife. • - Canon Rocks to Great Fish River. • - Buffalo River to Kei River. • - Chalumna River to Buffalo River. • - Great Fish River to Chalumna River. • - Great Kei River to Dwesa Cwebe Reserve.

  13. Eastern Cape • Possible catches: • - 7 areas (non reserves). • - Coastline length: 409km. • Potential Areas: • - Groot River to Kabeljous River. • - Maitlands River to Cape Recife. • - Canon Rocks to Great Fish River. • - Buffalo River to Kei River. • - Chalumna River to Buffalo River. • - Great Fish River to Chalumna River. • - Great Kei River to Dwesa Cwebe Reserve.

  14. Thank you

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