Working to protect small-scale fishers’ rights

In response to government’s Operation Phakisa, which could see the drilling of 30 exploratory wells off the coast of KZN over 10 years, various entities, including NGOs and government departments, recently held a meeting and committed to working together, Zululand Observer reports.

Held ahead of World Fisheries Day, the aim of the meeting was to encourage government and nongovernment entities to unite in promoting and protecting small-scale fishers’ livelihoods.

READ MORE: Durban fishermen want access to all traditional fishing grounds

The imbizo was hosted by Coastal Links and Masifundise Development Trust, and attended by the national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), including the Working for Fisheries (WFF) programme, DAFF KZN, KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

NGOs working on marine and coastal environmental issues, namely South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), Groundworks and Earth Life Africa, also attended.

Of major concern to Coastal Links is that small-scale fishers still await implementation of the small-scale fishing (SSF) policy and said DEA and DAFF have failed to recognise the customary rights of fishing communities living in and adjacent to marine protected areas (MPAs).

Given the previous fiasco over registration of KZN fishers, where various mistakes were made by officials, the fishers requested DAFF to afford them another registration opportunity.

Ezemvelo Marine Ecologist Jennifer Olbers spoke of the negative impact of seismic surveys on marine life, and said the organisation had documented horrific injuries suffered by 18 marine mammals that washed up on northern KZN beaches during last year’s seismic testing.

Located within DAFF’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) lies a programme to promote fisher livelihoods and extend the SSF value chain.

Desmond Marinus, WFF Acting Director, highlighted the important contribution this programme can make towards transformation, poverty alleviation, food security and the development of SSF infrastructure.

DAFF’s Phikelele Mbonambi said the department would set up co-management teams to include fishers and people from municipal and provincial government.

The nine corridors identified as key areas where gas transmission pipelines are required to meet future energy usage, include one from Durban to Richards Bay and on to the Mozambican border, and the strengthening of the existing one from Sasolburg to Richards Bay.

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