A number of stakeholders have been invited to attend a meeting that will discuss proposals around how resources will be split between the commercial and small-scale fishing sectors.
“This is a step towards policy implementation and we are keen to hear how resources will be split under the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy,” commented Masifundise’s Mandla Gqamlana.
The meeting is called by the DDG of fisheries management and comes at a time when the small-scale fisheries sector is anticipating the implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy.
DAFF earlier this year, outlined the following plan for policy implementation:
Phases of Policy Implementation
Phase 1: Preparatory Phase
This phase lays a firm foundation in order to embark on the process of implementing the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy. The activities in this phase, amongst others, include:
- Budget and business planning
- Approval of a new roll-out plan for the implementation of SSFP
- Establishment of a Steering Committee
- Dissemination of the new roll-out plan
- Establishment of the Small-Scale Fisheries Forum
Phase 2: Development of Support Plans
This phase requires that a number of support plans be developed and implemented so as to enhance the implementation process of the SSFP. Key plans, amongst others, include:
- Sector management measures
- Co-operative model
- Co-operative constitution template
- Co-operative management plan template
- Communication plan
- Stakeholder engagement plan
Sector management measures have been drafted. Co-operative models have been investigated with input from selected communities. The co-operative constitution template has been developed with assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The communication and stakeholder engagement plans have been discussed at Steering Committee meetings. The revenue management plan has been developed with assistance from the DTI and Co-operatives and Rural Economic Development (DAFF).
Phase 3: Formalisation of small-scale fishing communities into co-operatives
This phase is the most critical one for the successful allocation of small-scale fishing rights because it is in this phase where all bona fide small-scale fishers have to be identified, verified and registered into small-scale fishing communities. This phase includes the following activities:
- Registration of expression of interest per community
- Verification of fishers and identification of small-scale fishing communities
- Conducting socio-economic baseline study of the entire sector
- Conducting alternative livelihoods study per area
- Registration of small-scale fishing communities as co-operatives
Phase 4: Allocation of fishing rights to small-scale fisheries co-operatives
This phase is the pinnacle of the implementation of the small-scale fisheries policy as this would be the official start of the small-scale fisheries sector when the fishing rights are allocated to small-scale fishing co-operatives in March 2016. Activities include:
- Approval of registered co-operatives as small-scale fisheries co-operatives by the Minister
- Business training of all co-operative board members
- Allocation of fishing rights
- Issuing of permits
- Finalisation of appeals
Phase 5: Management and support of small-scale fisheries co-operatives
This is the last phase of the implementation and requires three years of providing developmental support to the small-scale fishing co-operatives. This phase is required to ensure economic development and long-term success of the co-operatives. Key activities include:
- Facilitation of developmental programmes per co-operative in partnership with other organisations
- Meetings of co-management structures
- Routine management of the sector
- Implementation and refinement of monitoring control and surveillance and catch monitoring plans
- Review success of implementation by conducting another socio-economic study and comparing to baseline study