SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES
Hout Bay unrest prompts urgency on fishing rights
Agriculture, forestry & fisheries minister Senzeni Zokwana has instructed officials in his department to begin the allocation of fishing rights in four coastal provinces to small-scale fisheries and coastal communities. This follows unrest in Hout Bay at the weekend, which resulted in the arrest of two fishermen. One fisherman is still missing. The unrest followed a police task force antipoaching operation in the area. Zokwana said the social unrest had been precipitated by the belief that department officials were responsible for the operation. "The torching of state offices, including the torching of an official’s house, must be understood in this context. My office and senior officials have been engaging with various stakeholders in this regard." The crisis in Hout Bay "highlights the urgency with which my department should conclude the allocation of fishing rights … to the small-scale fishermen and coastal communities who fish for [a] living". The state is concerned that the sec...
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