Re Incorporating Small-Scale Fishers
Masifundise Director Naseegh Jaffer attended a meeting of Reincorp Fish project in Sri Lanka from 17 to 20 January 2014.
The primary focus of this research project is on how to reincorporate fishers who have been left out. Masifundise has partnered with the EEU on this project. Other partners include the University of Ruhana (Sri Lanka), the SIFFS (India) and the University of Amsterdam.
The meeting evaluated the joint restitution development of fisheries governance frameworks and institutional arrangements in the three countries for the resolution of core fishery conflict.
The issues on the agenda were aimed at
- Reincorporating small-scale fishers in SA, Sri Lanka and India legally
- Preparation for the implementation of the small-scale fisheries policy and
- The current cross border crisis between the fishers of Sri Lanka and India involving the Palk Straight ( Bay of Bengal). Read more about the issue here: http://www.reincorpfish.info/news-and-announcements
For more information on ReIncorp visit: http://www.reincorpfish.info/home
CoCoon Conference January 2014
As part of the Conflict and Cooperation over Natural Resources in Developing Countries (CoCoon) project, Masifundise was invited to attend a conference in Netherlands on January 14 and 15, 2014.
The conference served as an information sharing platform for organisations from various countries who are involved in conflicts over natural resources. Masifundise, represented by Mandla Gqamlana discussed with the delegates the importance and effectiveness of collective action in waging struggles over natural resources.
Furthermore, Masifundise emphasised the importance of advocating and securing a resource governance style that would do justice to the resource users and builds from the bottom up instead of a top down approach.
Read more about Cocoon here:
http://www.nwo.nl/en/research-and-results/programmes/Conflict+and+Cooperation+over+Natural+Resources+in+Developing+Countries+%28CoCooN%29
Rock Lobster permit dispute in Arniston and Struisbaai
During the Rock Lobster permit allocation process last year, Coastal Links negotiated for the Department of Fisheries to set aside twenty permits each for Arniston and Struisbaai fishers. The scarcity of line fish had made it difficult for fishers to make a living and so the rock lobster allocation was welcomed.
However, agreed upon lists of beneficiaries were changed at the last moment, for reasons unknown. Now, according to local fishers, many of those who received permits are not traditional fishers and some have access to other sources of income. There are instances of one family having more than one permit.
Mansoor Jaffer, of Masifundise’s communication unit, visited these areas on Tuesday 28 January 2014. The fishers informed him that DAFF had undertaken to investigate, but there had been no follow up. The crayfish season is almost into its third month.
Update on Langebaan court case
Langebaan Net fishers will meet with their lawyers from Legal Resource Centre to discuss a settlement that they (net fishers) would like to offer the Department of Environmental Affairs and SAN Parks.
Since the court case has started, the net fishers of Langebaan have been presented with three settlement offers by San Parks and Environmental Affairs with the intention of settling the matter out of court. The Fishers have refused all the settlement offers presented to them.
Last week, Criminal charges against four fishermen who were accused of fishing illegally in Zone B at the Langebaan Lagoon were thrown out by the court.
This was a result of the court case being postponed several times because of the High Court review that was launched to set aside the decision that the traditional net fishers cannot fish in Zone B.
Communicating for Development
The Masifundise Communication team continues to expand the Masifundise and Coastal Links imprint on social media and on our website. More and more people are engaging these sites, reading the content and exchanging ideas. The team has produced new marketing material, will complete a small-scale fishing Handbook next month and is engaged in a process of painting a mural and putting together an exhibition at the head office. Media relations work is being strengthened.
No ITQ’S and Privatisation of the Ocean
Masifundise has always opposed the ITQ system and attempts to privatise the ocean for the benefit of the few.
The Global Fisheries Policy for World Forum of Fisher People that was drafted in 2004 in Kenya states that” Output control measures such as vessel-based catch quotas should not lead to the introduction of individual transferable quotas that could result in high grading and concentration of ownership of fisheries resources in the hands of a few. The possibility of arriving at optimum fleet size for different categories of fishing vessels based on total allowable catch (TAC) should be considered instead of output control measures.
As an alternative to the ITQ/INTQ systems there should be defining the RIGHTS of traditional / artisanal/ indigenous fishers. Definitions have to be clearly spelt out as this may lead towards misinterpretations and different meanings of the rights. Above all, these should be based on equity and social justice”.
Watch another video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUzCcAFhqrs produced by Cyrk Production. The video shows the impacts of the ITQ system in those countries (Denmark and Iceland) that this (system) has been applied.