KZN fishermen confront challenges in the fishing industry
KZN subsistence fishermen continue to fight to have the right to fish along the coastlines recognised by the government.
THE challenges facing the KZN fishing industry have led South African fishermen to forge strategic alliances with their international partners.
This collaborative effort seeks to address and resolve the ongoing issues affecting the fishing community.
Desmond D’sa, chairperson of the South Durban Environmental Alliance, criticised the extension of colonial exploitation through concepts like the blue economy, which exacerbates the hardships of artisanal fishers who already face significant resource exploitation.
Also read: Fisherfolk rally to reclaim access to beachfront piers for fishing
“Moreover, our seas and water bodies are under relentless threat from the drive for renewable offshore energy. Industrial fishers, often poorly regulated and operating with impunity, contrast sharply with artisanal fishers who face intimidation and repression from both the state and commercial fish merchants. Industrial fishing practices contribute to overcapacity, illegal fishing and unregulated activities, whereas artisanal fishers use traditional methods with poles, hooks and specific net sizes,” said D’sa.
The FishNet Alliance, a coalition of fishers across the African coast, convened for its general assembly and conference on August 22 in Durban.
The assembly brought together alliance members from South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Nigeria and Mozambique, and new participants from Uganda, South Sudan and Cameroon. Attendees also included representatives from Oilwatch Africa and Oilwatch International, along with allies from 20 countries. The conference emphasised the ongoing violations of artisanal fishers’ rights due to extractive projects, a continuation of colonial-era practices. Offshore extraction and the development of oil and gas infrastructure pose severe threats to the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Members of the KZN subsistence fishing community continue to struggle with obtaining their fishing permits from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, leaving many fishermen in search of answers. For decades, these fishers have relied on marine resources for their livelihoods.
D’sa said that climate-change-induced coastal erosion and sea encroachment are displacing fishing communities, turning them into refugees within their own countries as their lands become submerged.
“Our oceans, communities and socio-cultural well-being are not commodities for sale. Artisanal fishers must be acknowledged, consulted, supported and protected, with adequate representation in ocean and maritime policy discussions,” said FishNet Alliance in a statement.
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