Fishers benefit from skills support
SANParks programme assists people who fish for their livelihoods
The first ripples of international and local support for sustainable fishing reached the shores of Kenton-on-Sea when fishers and local officials met at Middle Beach to launch a new phase of an angler support programme.
After new signage was unveiled at the beach, the group met at the club house of the Ekhupumleni sports grounds, where 62 local fishers from Colchester, Alexandria and Kenton-on-Sea were officially inducted into the Expanded Angler Support Programme.
The programme is an initiative of the South African National Parks (SANParks), supported by The
Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP), implemented by the UN Development Programme to provide resources to local fishing communities.
The programme was first launched in 2022.
Since then, it has expanded to support more than 300 fishermen and women across four national parks.
These include the Addo Elephant National Park, Table Mountain National Park, West Coast National Park and three sections of the Garden Route National Park.
It involves comprehensive workshops and training to equip beneficiaries with practical angling skills. Ndlambe mayor Kuhlulwa Ncamiso said in her opening address that the angler support programme fitted in well with the municipality’s efforts to address local challenges and promote sustainable development, such as supporting anglers who rely on marine natural resources for their livelihoods.
SANparks’ Faroush Ludick said: “The ceremonies held at Middle Beach and Ekhupumleni mark a significant milestone in the ongoing commitment of SANParks to the social wellbeing of communities neighbouring our national parks.
“The initial phase involved comprehensive workshops and training to equip all the beneficiaries with practical angling skills. The workshops are aimed at providing a platform for engaging with the local communities and gathering invaluable insights, experiences, and knowledge directly from those who are deeply connected to the fishing practices and marine ecosystems.
“The programme, as a whole, is also aimed at building strong relations with the fishing communities along our Marine Protected Areas and to further foster collective commitment to preserving our marine environment and supporting the sustainable livelihoods of angler communities,” said Ludick.
Marine Protected Areas contribute to the long-term conservation of marine resources, ecosystem services, and cultural heritage.
They play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and supporting sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities.
The new members of the Anglers Support Programme received fishing equipment, fishing apparel, fishing permits, and certificates of participation at the opening ceremony in Ekuphumleni.
“We are proud to be part of protecting our waters,” Wiseman Bikani, a fisherman and resident of Ekhupumleni, said after the handing over ceremony at the sports club.
Bikani said he had been fishing in the Bushman’s and Kariega Rivers for many years.
He has been fishing for a living for as long as he can remember.
“We catch fish for a living and when we have enough, we sell it to others in our community.
“We mainly catch fish and squid.
“The fishermen here work well together.
“We have formed a co-operative and can rent boats in Port Alfred,” he said.