On 3 May 2021 the Advisory Group for the Vanderkloof Experimental Fisheries Management Project (EFMP), met with small-scale kraal fishers from Vanderkloof as well as other stakeholders regarding the development of the project and the EFMP final report.
This project was initiated by the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, land Reform & Rural Development and has been running for the past six years.
The EFMP was aimed at solving food insecurity that the communities of Keurtjieskloof, Phillipstown and Petrusville experience. It would look at developing a small-scale fisheries industry with these three communities linked to the Vanderkloof Dam.
Rhodes University presented the findings of the report explaining to fishers and stakeholders the feasibility of the project. Stakeholders were given an opportunity to comment.
Kraal fishers who depend on the dam have been waiting for the final hand over of the report and the fruition of the project, however there have been a number of delays.
“We are struggling to understand this report because it is riddled with big scientific words. Its simple, all kraal fishers want is to have uninhibited access to the dam to fish. We want to feed our families and support ourselves with our livelihood. We are tired of waiting because we need food on the table now!”, said Clarence Oliphant a small-scale fisher from Vanderkloof.