Dispute over rock lobster allowance
Livelihood of small-scale fishers will be affected
ADROP in the total allowable catch (TAC) of the West Coast rock lobster (WCRL) will affect small-scale fishers. This is according to the SA Small Scale Fisheries Collective co-chairperson, Pedro Garcia, who said commercial fishing companies should be denied the rights to catch the lobster.
“The brunt of the reduction must therefore be borne by those materially responsible for the present severely depleted status of the WCRL biomass since 1890 to date, not present day small-scale fishers. Small-scale fishers have only recently been accommodated with access to 28.8% of the global WCRL TAC, for the past five WCRL fishing seasons – excluding the present 12.35%,” he said.
Garcia was responding to the legal dispute between the World Wildlife Fund for Nature SA (WWF-SA) and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Daff ) over the sustainable management of the West Coast rock lobster (WCRL).
WWF approached the court alleging that the total allowable catch (TAC) for the WCRL fishery was set at a high number and thus undermines the crustaceans’ longterm survival, and also disregarded fishers who depend on this valuable resource.
WWF said Daff failed to look at the scientific calculations when setting the TAC.
However, Daff said it looked at the socio-economic dynamics such as the need to create more access for the small-scale fisheries and coastal communities to the fishing sector.
Khaye Nkwanyana, spokesperson for the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said Daff chose an approach that was balanced – “that is scientific considerations coupled with the appreciation of our inescapable mandate to increase access to the marine living resources, especially for those who were excluded in the past”.
Garcia in response said for years they had been advocating against the TAC system which they claim is destructive and is the cause of the depletion of the WCRL.
“Daff has now developed a social conscience when for years they have wanted nothing to do with locals,” said Garcia.
“Undoubtedly the WWF application, if successful in its present form, will have an enormously harmful socio-economic impact on the lives and livelihoods of approximately 2 000 small-scale fishers and their dependants,” he said.
The Western Cape High Court is expected to hear the WWF’s semi-urgent notice of motion on August 22.