Abalone poaching is common in South Africa, especially in coastal towns of the Western Cape.
This lucrative industry is allegedly controlled by gangs and rumours are rife that they trade abalone with criminals from Asian countries in exchange for drugs.
But there is a flipside.
Local fishermen say they too have been forced to fish illegally, due to the country’s ailing economy.
Although many involved in this illicit trade are associated with gangs, a former abalone poacher paints a bleak picture of the realities of who feel they have no choice.
Fisherman Dimitri Williams said, “you must do it because when you are out at sea and don’t catch anything you don’t have any money. The children must go to school, you must live as a human being, you must eat there is lots of stuff you need.”
The current fishing permits only allow small-scale fishermen to catch fish between November and March.
They say they make around R6,000 from the 30kg of fish they are permitted to take.
South Africa Pelagic Fishermen’s Union Charlton Swigelaar said, “scientifically proven and according to government, we have these reports that say we are overfishing. I would strongly disagree with them because a month or so ago just around the corner from us in Eiland’s Bay tons of crayfish walked out of the sea…