Implementation of Living Marine Resources Act

Meeting report

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS & TOURISM PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
20 October 1999
BRIEFING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LIVING MARINE RESOURCES ACT

Documents handed out
Chief Directorate: Marine and Coastal Management (attached to end of minutes)
Chief Directorate: Marine and Coastal Management (2)
Application form in terms of section 18 of the Marine Resources Act, 1998

MINUTES
The Chief Director of the Marine and Coastal Management, Dr M Mayekiso, touched on the key performance areas and priorities and strategic challenges facing the Department. (See Appendix 1)

Questions from the members
Mr P Hendrikse (ANC): You have identified priorities and challenges that the Department has to meet, would you tell the meeting what progress has been made in meeting those challenges? Have you popularised Marine Science?

Dr Mayekiso: The Department is involved in a number of activities aimed at popularising Marine Science. For example the Department has a programme with the USA. Through the programme we recruit marine scientist from USA to talk to students and encourage them to take Marine Science. The Department also has a programme with Norway. Perhaps the Department is not doing as much as expected. With regard to bursaries, we have three students who are doing Masters in Marine Science in Norway.

Mr R September (ANC): The Department should establish a forum in each fishing area to ensure community involvement. Further, what are you doing with respect to representivity within the Directorate? Is there willingness in the Department to change? There is lot of hostility in regard to this idea in the Department. What are you doing to redress that?

Dr Mayekiso: The Department agrees with Mr September that it should get local communities involved. The Department is willing to change. With regard to legitimacy, the Department is speeding up representativity. To ensure representativity when an appointment is made, there is a requirement to show why he or she had not appointed a person from a disadvantaged community.

Chairperson: We are in the sixth year of the new dispensation and women are not represented in your Department. The excuse that you are trying to make that your Department is more representative has been there for a long time.

Dr Mayekiso: Representivity is something that the Department takes seriously. One cannot increase representivity by making appointments to non-existing positions. If we want representivity, then existing staff has to leave to open up a post.

Mr M Kalako (ANC): There is uneven distribution of Marine resources to different provinces and it seems there is more concentration in Western Cape.

Dr Mayekiso: 87% of fish that is landing in South Africa comes from the waters of Western Cape. It is where the wind blows and when the wind blows it is good for the fish, and that is why 87% comes from Western Cape.

Ms Chalmers (ANC): What role are you playing in promoting mariculture?

Dr Mayekiso: South Africa is far behind in promoting mariculture but the Department is determined that it will make an impact in promoting mariculture.

The Chairperson asked members to suggest a way forward. Mr B Holomisa (UDM) suggested that the matters be taken to the Minister. The Chairperson said that she will have to inform the Minister about the matters and she indicated that there will be a committee meeting on the 27 October and the Minister or the Director-General will be present.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix 1

ELEMENTS OF A TRANSFORMATION

STRATEGY FOR THE MARINE FISHERIES SECTOR

1. GLOBAL FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSFORMAT ION
2. CONSTRAINTS

3. TRANSFORMING PATTERNS OF RESOURCE UTILISATION

3.1. Point of departure

3.2. Equitable access to marine living resources - broadening of industry participation

The first approach is the transformation of existing fishing companies.

The second approach is the allocations of commercial fishing rights to new entrants,

The third approach is to recognise "subsistence fishing"

4. THE ROLE OF MARICULTURE

5. MARINE LIVING RESOURCES, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, HARBOURS. AND TOURISM

6. LONG-TERM FISHING RIGHTS

7. COMIPLIANCE AND RESEARCH