Department defends gill-net fishing in lagoon zone

THE FISHERIES department has defended its decision to allow gill-net fishing in a restricted part of Langebaan Lagoon – a move critics say is illegal.

But the facts presented by the department to justify its move are at odds with those cited by the critics, who include a whistle-blower who alerted the Afrioceans Conservation Alliance.

For the past two festive seasons, the department has allowed eight commercial net fishermen to catch fish in the restricted Zone B area of the lagoon from December 15 to January 15, although their permit conditions allowed them only in Zone A.

The fishermen argued that Zone A, where there is unrestricted use by recreational fishermen and people enjoying watersports, was too busy over the festive season and disrupted their fishing.

Langebaan Lagoon, which is a Marine Protected Area (MPA) and falls in the West Coast National Park, is man- aged on behalf of the national Environmental Affairs Department by SA National Parks. Critics say that under the Marine Living Resources Act, the legal authority for issuing permits in MPAS lies with the Department of Environmental Affairs.

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries spokesman Lionel Adendorf agreed that the lagoon was a proclaimed MPA demarcated into three zones.

He described these as “Zone A, where fishing is permitted, Zone B, where limited fishing (only commercial) is allowed and Zone C, the sanctuary where no fishing is allowed”.

He said 10 commercial permits had been issued in 2006 for fishing in the lagoon.

“It is also true that MPAS fall under the Department of Environmental Affairs, but because Zone A and Zone B of this particular MPA allowed fishing activity, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, which does allocations and issues fishing permits, acted within its right to issue permits to the 10 permitholders for the two zones as fishing is allowed in these two zones.”

However, this does not tally with what the critics say.

They say that there are two historical rights holders at Churchhaven, in Zone B, and they are allowed to fish in Zones A and B. These rights will lapse when the holders die.

If they fish in Zone B, they may use only one net that is 75m long and has a mesh of 48mm. They may not use outboard motors and must row.

There are eight rights holders from Langebaan who may each use two nets, of the same size as the Churchhaven rights holders’, and outboard motors. They may fish in Zone A and in Big Bay, north of the lagoon.

The critics say the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries allowed the Langebaan rights holders to fish in Zone B from December 15 to January 15, this year and last year, using two nets and outboard motors – contrary to regulations affecting the two Churchhaven holders.

They point out that gill-netting is an environmentally destructive fishing method.