Masifundise Weekly Information Update

February 12, 2014

Welcome to the Masifundise Development Trust Weekly Update of the year. This information sheet is published every Wednesday and distributed via our database, our website and social media. It provides information on the work of Masifundise and Coastal Links South Africa.

Rock Lobster permit dispute in Arniston and Struisbaai

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, has agreed to meet with the fishing community of Arniston. The meeting took place today February 12, 2014 at Arniston and discussed the inappropriate permit allocation process that took place in 2013 during the Rock Lobster Permit Allocation process.

In November 2013, Coastal Links South Africa negotiated with the Department of Fisheries to set aside twenty  Rock Lobster permits each for Arniston and Struisbaai fishers due to the scarcity of line fish that had made it difficult for fishers to make a living.

However, agreed upon lists of beneficiaries were changed at the last moment and according to local fishers, many of those who received permits are not traditional fishers and some have access to other sources of income.

We will communicate the outcomes of this meeting in our next weekly update.

Fishers in KZN to march over unfair treatment by KZN Wildlife

Fishers on the north and south coasts of Kwazulu-Natal are to march against unfair treatment by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

The march will address key issues such as:

  • Harassment and unfair treatment of fishers by the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
  • The  delay of adoption of the MLRA
  • The implementation of the Small- Scale Fisheries Policy
  • An Interim Permit (for Small Scale Fishers) that allows fishers to catch and sell their fish

The destruction of rudimentary boats and gills nets belonging to fishers in Nkunduse has led to the call for action.

Fishers from Nkunduse and Libela will spearhead the march. Planning is headed up by a task team.

KZN fishers currently fish with a subsistence permit; this permit does not allow them to sell their catches and fishers say it has a minimum allocated number of fish that can be caught which makes it difficult for fishers in the province (including EC) to have a sustainable livelihood.

MDT and CLSA will support the fishers in their march. CLSA has (last week) released a media release outlining the grievances of the subsistence permit holders in the EC and KZ

Read the release here: : https://www.masifundise.org/media-release-give-rights-to-kzn-and-eastern-cape-fishers-to-sell-their-catch/

Exhibition Call for Photos and Artefacts

Masifundise’s Communication Unit is spearheading a mini-exhibition project at its offices in Mowbray.

The project entails a mural on the front of the building and information regarding the sector inside. The mural will depict the lives of small-scale fishers and the environment in which they operate.

The exhibitions inside will provide information and visuals on the histories of Masifundise and Coastal Links South Africa and the story of the struggle of fishers for rights. Artists Gaby Chemainis and Garth Erasmus are assisting with the project.

Any fishers or members of the community, who wish to assist, can contact us at the numbers below.

“We specifically require visuals as well as artefacts from fishing communities, such as hooks used in the old days, bait containers, different types of sinkers, etc.”

MPA Forum in KZN

Coastal Links South Africa members Bethuel Sithole, Lindani Ngubeni and David Gongqose  together with Serge Raemaekers from Re-Incorp Fishing attended a MPA Forum Meeting in KZN this week. The forum began on Tuesday 11 February 2014 and was organised to take a look at the impact and management of MPA’s and discuss the implication of MPAs on Small- Scale Fishers.

The four actively contributed to the debate regarding MPAs, and yesterday Lindani read out the Coastal Links South Africa letter of intent on MPAs which was developed last year (2013) at the MPA workshop held by MDT and KZN in La Mercy, KZN.

The four presented and discussed how best to incorporate human dimensions into MPA planning and management, what the implications are for the small-scale fisheries policy, and also how players in the industry should rethink MPA governance to better accommodate the needs and rights of primary stakeholders such as small-scale fishers. They also raised grievance which included:

  • Researchers not engaging communities in MPAs research
  • MPAs not being beneficial for Small-Scale Fishers and,
  • Report back regarding the outcome of the research is not given to communities.

The forum will end on Friday 14th of February 2014. Click here to read the CLSA MPA Declaration (Page 3): https://www.masifundise.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/FishersNETJULY13eng3.pdf

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