Small-scale fishers (SSF) in the Western Cape region of South Africa are up in arms after the Department of Forestry, Fisheries And The Environment (DFFE) announced that a new process for small-scale fisheries rights allocation is commencing this month to replace the “wholly inadequate” 2016-2019 process.
While this new process was welcomed by the SSF sector after the many challenges and conflicts the 2016-2019 process caused, the fishers believe the department’s restriction that the new process will only be opened to those who applied in 2016 (to avoid further delays by completely reopening up the process) was unacceptable.
Department spokesperson Albi Modise said the Western Cape High Court set aside the 2016-2019 process of awarding small-scale fishing rights in the province last month after an internal audit concluded that the verification process was “wholly inadequate”, and that the “results of these assessments cannot and should not be relied on for any decision-making purpose in terms of the regulations.”
The department will be hosting regular community interactions and ensuring the direct involvement of community-based organisations in preparation for the new process.
SA United Fishing Front founder Pedro Garcia said: “The fact that the department has decided that only the 8 488 people who had originally applied between 2016 and 2019 (of which only 2 802 were successful) may now re-register under the new registration system for the SSF in the Western Cape is completely unacceptable.”