Nobody else fishing our waters

2003-06-05 21:07

Cape Town - No foreign fishing vessels are now officially operating in local waters, Environmental Affairs Minister Valli Moosa announced on Thursday.

Opening debate on his department's budget vote in the national assembly, he described this as a key step in safeguarding South Africa's natural resources.

"Let me also now announce that we have reached a point where not a single foreign country has access to fish in South African waters."

This ensured South Africa's rich fishing resources "first benefit us here at home instead of being over-exploited by foreign countries".

Moosa said that according to United Nations Environment Programme figures, at least 70% of the world's fish stocks are depleted or fully exploited.

"This stands in contrast to South Africa, where we have a proud record of properly managing our rich fishing resources," he said.

Following the arrest of a foreign vessel last year for illegally fishing in South African waters, his department had tendered for a system to track fishing boats.

This would allow authorities to keep track of fishing vessels, the permits they hold and the catches they make "on a near real-time basis", Moosa said.

The latest figures showed fish exports from South Africa totalled 153 815 tons in 2001, and realised an export value of R1.8bn.

Recent oceanographic surveys showed populations of pilchard and anchovy in local waters "are at record highs", he said.

- SAPA