The small-scale fisheries policy (SSFP) implementation process kicked off in April this year, with the verification of small scale fishers having started in April. Below are some facts about the verification process so far:
Three is the amount of provinces that has been verified until the end of April.
They are the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape. One province still needs to be verified, which is KwaZulu/Natal, whose verification process kicked off in May.
About 294 Expressions of Interest for Verification were submitted by communities countrywide.
About 150 communities registered for verification.
Between April and June, the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries expects to register and verify about 30 000 small-scale fishers countrywide.
Verification was only conducted in about 50 communities so far, DAFF will visit those communities in which verification has not been done yet.
On average about 100 people came to the registration points so far, with the lowest number of people registering at a registration point having been less than 10, and in some instances up to 700 people came to register at some points.
In the Western Cape about +-6 500 people have registered.
In the Eastern Cape about +-4000 people have registered (the process is only halfway so far).
In the Northern Cape +-350 people have registered so far.
KZN – registration has not started yet.
30 000 is the amount DAFF envisage will eventually be registered as small-scale fishers .
The verification process will come to an end by the end of June.
Once the minister has signed off on the recommendations by DAFF on the list of small scale fishers, people will be informed that they are recognised by DAFF as bona-fide small scale fishers.
After the list has been approved, each fishing community will be issued with a list of the small-scale fishers in the fishing community.
Only communities who have raised legitimate complaints regarding the verification process, will be visited for a second round of verification.
Persons who have registered but have not been included on the list of small scale fishers can appeal against the decision.
After three years new people will be taken through a verification process to see if they meet the criteria to be considered as small-scale fishers.