48 research outputs found
Efficacy of rights-based management of small pelagic fish within an ecosystems approach to fisheries in South Africa
South Africa’s small pelagics fishery is moving towards a management strategy using an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), with rights-based management (RBM) as the key rights allocation system. While EAF strives to balance between, among others, ecological and social-economic objectives, RBM is driving the sector towards economic efficiency. Within EAF itself, there are still underlying mismatches between the two top objectives, ‘human wellbeing’ and ‘ecological wellbeing’, in effect requiring a better balance between these objectives than there is currently. For example, fishers do not believe they should be competing with marine mammals and birds for allocation of the resource, yet this is one of the primary trade-offs that have to be made when setting the annual total allowable catches (TACs) under EAF. A balance between the two objectives could be achieved through acceptable trade-offs between them among all stakeholders within inclusive governance. Implementation of RBM has had both positive and negative effects on the objectives for EAF. Of concern are the negative effects of RBM on human wellbeing. For example, fishers feel that RBM has weakened their bargaining position, thereby reducing their benefits. In addition, RBM has resulted in job losses and insecurity of employment within the fisheries sector. The most affected have been the most vulnerable — the low level workers — who ought to be the key beneficiaries of RBM. Thus prioritising and protecting vulnerable groups and fishing communities need careful consideration when creating RBM, even in the context of EAF. Rights-based management has also had negative effects on ecological wellbeing through practices such as increased dumping and ‘high grading’ as part of industry’s drive for increased efficiency under RBM. Whereas scientists believe that variability is largely due to environmental conditions, fishers strongly feel that dumping, high grading and high fishing pressure are the main factors. One of the positive aspects of RBM has been improved understanding among rights-holders and fishers of the need to consider other organisms in the TAC and to protect these through establishment of marine protected areas, island perimeter closures and limiting bycatch, thereby impacting positively on ecological wellbeing.Web of Scienc
Mainstreaming of HIV and Aids into South African fisheries policy
This research investigated the drivers
and the impact of HIV and Aids in
fishing communities in South Africa, in
order to assist the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism: Marine
and Coastal Management (DEAT:MCM)
with mainstreaming of HIV and Aids
into policy on fisheries. The research
was based on in-depth analysis of four
fishing communities in the Northern
Cape, Western Cape and Eastern Cape
An institutional approach for developing South African inland freshwater fisheries for improved food security and rural livelihoods
South Africa has over 4 700 storage dams, about 700 of which are owned and controlled by Government. Public dams were primarily constructed for domestic, irrigation and industrial water supply. Over time secondary uses for recreation and tourism have been established. Many of the public dams have been stocked with indigenous and alien fish species, predominantly for recreational angling. Given widespread rural unemployment, poverty and undernourishment, the development of inland fisheries on public dams and natural water bodies has much potential for improving rural livelihoods and food security. There is also potential for inclusion of communities in other value chains linked to economic activities around public dams such as recreational fishing and tourism. The public dams and natural water bodies fall under various implicit institutional arrangements depending on primary and secondary activities on a given water body. These determine the existing formal and informal power dynamics and related decision-making arrangements and controls under current use-right practices. This paper analyses the existing property rights that determine access, co-management options and governance arrangements necessary to promote sustainable development of inland fisheries in South Africa. Attention needs to be given to the various ways of explicit definition and enforcement of property and access rights if communities are to realise the potential benefits from use of public dams for fisheries and other economic activities. Achieving this will require a developmental approach based on principles of inclusive, representative, equitable, accountable and effective governance. Leadership by the line agency – Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – will be critical for success of such an initiative.Web of Scienc
Recommendations for revisions to inland fishery access rights and property rights regimes
• Deliverable Aims:
• Evaluate and analyse existing property rights and access rights currently governing inland fisheries in South Africa
• Recommend reforms or changes to the existing property rights regimes and access rights
• Findings will form basis for consultations with the key stakeholders for their feedback get buy-i
Community opportunities in aquaculture: what are the possibilities and limits?
Aquaculture now contributes 47% of fish available for human
consumption – up from 9% in 1980. This shift to aquaculture
offsets the stagnation in the production from capture fisheries
(FAO 2012). By 2030, demand for fish is expected to reach
261 million tonnes, but fish production is only expected to rise
to 210 million tonnes; demand will therefore exceed supply by
50 million tonnes. Africa is likely to produce 11 million tonnes
by 2030, but the demand will be as high as 18 million tonnes
(FAO 2013).Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisherie
Crew members in South Africa’s squid industry: Whether they have benefited from transformation and governance reforms
Although crew members form bedrock of the squid industry, they have not benefited from the transformation and governance reforms because: the harvesting technique necessitates incentivisation of individual effort; they are highly mobile; and the industry is exempted from revised labour legislation. As a result, they have been unable to organise for laying claim on benefits. As they unionise to strengthen their bargaining position, the conundrum is how to maintain incentive practices on which the catching sector is based while asserting their rights. The challenge is re-structuring the sector to improve quality of employment while maintaining individual crew member productivity incentives
Efficacy of rights based management within an ecosystems approach to fisheries - Small pelagics in South Africa
• South Africa issued long-term fishing rights (2006 to 2020) for most commercial species Long-term rights a form of Rights Based Management (RBM) approach
• Has committed itself to introduce an Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries (EAF
Regional fish trade in Africa: Potential for food security, reducing poverty and fisheries management
Sub-Saharan Africa: context
• One of the regions in the world suffering from high rates of hunger and poverty.
• 26% of the world’s hungry people were located in sub-Saharan Africa in 2010 (FAO and WFP,2010)
• Chronic hunger (malnutrition) is rising in absolute and relative terms, while access to adequate food is a challenge to large populations
• While there are increasing efforts to increase production and access of staple cereals, there is limited attention to improved availability and
access to fish and fish product
Establishing an economically and biologically sustainable and viable inland fisheries sector in South Africa – pitfalls of path dependence
Small-scale fisheries play a significant role in livelihoods and food and nutrition security for millions of people
around the world. However, these benefits are under threat, especially in developing countries such as in
Africa, as a result of poor governance. The historical developmentalist and welfarist approach to management
of small-scale fisheries in developing countries, dating back from colonial era, has resulted in problems of
open-access regimes that usually lead to over-capitalisation, geographic spread of landing sites that makes it
difficult to organise fishers for management activities, inadequate management capacity and poor funding
of the sector
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Celebrating Southern African Small-scale Fisheries
In Africa at least 10 million people depend in fisheries. 90% of fish is from the continent is landed by small-scale fishers. The value of landed catch from the continent is estimated at $2.7 billion annually. In southern Africa, the main fishery resources range from inland lake and river systems to marine systems. Over 95% of catch from these systems is landed by small-scale fishers. This review cerebrates’ the value and benefits deriving from Southern African fisheries such as employment, income, food security, cultural, etc., among others. What should also be notable is the welfare function that fisheries play in most fishing communities, thereby contributing to community resilience and stability, despite the low priority accorded to the sector by most governments in the region. By demonstrating the value of the sector, it is envisaged that governments and donors would begin to see the sector in better light and give it due consideration in future policies and development planning.Keywords: Too Big to Ignore: Enhancing Visibility and Possibilities in Small-Scale Fisheries, Special Topics, Fisheries Economic