Briefing to the Select Committee on Land and Environment on Fisheries Issues

1. Briefing to the Select Committee on Land and Environment on Fisheries Issues Acting Deputy Director-General: Fisheries Management and Team

2. Introduction of the DAFF Fisheries Team Strategic positioning of Fisheries within new Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (DAFF) Update on Small-scale Fisheries Policy Outcomes of the recent Stakeholder Workshop Reconfiguration of the Internal Policy Steering Committee Revised policy framework Roadmap Fishing Closure Project Topical issues Illegal fishing/poaching Abalone Recovery Outline of the Presentation

3. Introduction of the DAFF Fisheries Team • Acting Deputy Director-General: Fisheries Management • Dr Motseki Hlatshwayo • Chief Director: Strategic Support & Management • Ms. Sue Middleton • Acting Chief Director: Resources Management • Dr Johann Augustyn • Acting Chief Director: Monitoring, Control & Surveillance • Mr. Nkosinathi Dana • Director: Stakeholder Engagement & Outreach • Mr. Desmond Stevens • Director: Offshore & High-Seas Fisheries Management • Mr. Saasa Pheeha • Acting Director: Inshore Resources Management • Mr. Dennis Fredericks

4. Strategic positioning of Fisheries within DAFF Fisheries have enormous potential to provide poor with more food, better nutrition & increased incomes. Already many of world’s poorest billion, particularly in Asia & Africa, get substantial portion of animal protein in their diet from fish. For many of these people, fish also provides a major source of livelihood. With targeted investment in South Africa to better manage fisheries & develop aquaculture we can substantially increase these benefits. Due to commercial approach to rights allocation process small-scale fishers & disadvantaged communities have been marginalized. Absence of coherent national policies & plans resulted in lack of development of small-scale fishers & rural coastal communities. In addressing these challenges, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries developed draft National Fisheries Plan, which aims to address these challenges; Plan looks mainly at short to medium-term & links to sector plan for long-term visioning of the sector.

5. Draft National Fisheries Plan Ten-point plan: • Governance & institutional development; • Provision of technical & support services to sector; • Aquaculture development; • Value-chain development & support; • Improve capacity for enforcement & levels of compliance in sector; • Food safety & quality assurance; • Sustainable resource management & economic recovery of key fisheries; • Socio-economic development & alternative livelihoods for coastal communities; • Transformation & promotion of women & youth involvement in sector; & • Broadening fisheries resource-base through research and exploring new fisheries.

6. Update on Small-scale Fisheries Policy Fishing & coastal communities were not included in new fisheries dispensation introduced in late 1990’s with promulgation of Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No.18 of 1998) (MLRA) & provided for in General Policy on Long Term Commercial Fishing Rights. These communities persistently voiced concerns about their exclusion & expressed their aspirations for development of Small-scale Fisheries Policy that recognizes their rights to an equitable fisheries dispensation & sustainable livelihoods. This right has been endorsed by various Equality Court Orders over past years. Government is currently engaging stakeholders in participative process to develop new policy to guide governance & management of small-scale fisheries.

7. Update on Small-scale Fisheries Policy (cont’d) Process ensures that traditional, subsistence & small-scale fishing communities fully participate in policy development. At National Small-Scale Fisheries Summit in Port Elizabeth (November 2007), National Joint Task Team (NTT) was nominated & appointed. NTT appointed Technical Committee to oversee development of draft small-scale fisheries policy. NTT tabled first draft small-scale fisheries policy at recent Stakeholder Workshop held in Sea Point (7- 8 May 2010). Draft policy was mainly rights focused & Minister vision necessitated that policy should respond to current government priorities, which are in line with needs of all coastal communities

8. Update on Small-scale Fisheries Policy (cont’d) An Internal Steering Committee (ISC) was appointed following Stakeholder Workshop to re-work draft policy to address issues of economic development, food security and rural development, & design programmes & support packages for fishing communities. ISC Team members: • Lucas Williams, Motseki Hlatshwayo, Desmond Stevens, Dennis Fredericks, Carol Moses, Cheslyn Liebenberg, Mzondeleli Dlulane, Jacques van Zyl & Sandile Sibiya • Revised document will ensure: • Improved & equitable access to fish to eat • Increased & more equitable distribution in income from fishing • Reduced vulnerability of fishery dependent people • Long-term sustainable fish catches within productive & resilient aquatic ecosystems

9. Small-scale Fisheries Policy Roadmap April 2010: Internal Departmental Workshop; Feedback to Technical Committee & NTT May 2010: Small-scale Fisheries Policy Stakeholder Workshop; Briefing for new Minister; update of Select & Portfolio Committees June 2010: Focused meetings with industry & interest groups to explain impacts of policy; NEDLAC process July 2010: Feedback to Technical Committee & NTT; Meeting with Minister to seek permission to gazette for public comments August 2010: Publish draft policy for public comments • September 2010: Road shows October 2010: Incorporation of inputs & comments; Prepare costing & implementation plan; Submission to Cabinet & other forums; Costing & development of Implement Strategy & Action Plans November 2010: Gazetting of final policy

10. Update on Fishing Closure Project

11. Main food of penguins is anchovy & sardine Eastward shifts decreased availability of these fish around w colonies Experimental closures to purse-seining introduced around penguin colonies from 2008 (Dassen W Cape; St Croix E Cape) Intensive monitoring of penguins undertaken (as below) Analyses continuing • Breeding population – nest counts; • Adult population – moult counts; • Survival – banding & transponders; • Breeding success – nest monitoring; • Breeding participation proportion empty nests; • Chick growth – individual chicks; • Chick condition – mass v head measure; • Foraging parameters (distance from colony; time at sea, proportion of trip feeding) – GLS loggers, transponders • Diet – water offloading

12. Topical Issues Involvement of Fisheries Management Vessels at 2010 Fifa World Cup for security • Lilian Ngoyi, Victoria Mxenge & Florence Mkhize protect our waters & facilities around Cape Town, Durban & Port Elizabeth. • Sarah Baartman is patrolling national waters (up to 200 nautical miles offshore). • DAFF plays key role in Security Cluster Illegal fishing/poaching • Expand Military Veterans Project (create partnership with Department of Military Veterans). • Increase capacity for enforcement & create stronger partnerships with fishing communities (community policing) Abalone Recovery Plan • Cabinet Memo for opening of abalone fishery • Recovery plan developed & institutional arrangements proposed for sustainable management of fishery

13. Re a leboha Thank You Dankie