Question NW3172 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
22 November 2018 - NW3172
Singh, Mr N to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
Why is the Government allowing a demersal longline fishery to catch an unlimited number of sharks along our coastline, whereas the economic benefit of the demersal shark longline fishery is minimal when compared with the adverse environmental impact on the greater coastal ecosystem including highly protected species such as Great White Sharks?
Reply:
The mandate of extractive fisheries resource use and management lies with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF); Branch: Fisheries Management (BFA). The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has a role in the management and maintenance of environmental and ecosystem health, integrity, as well as beneficial and sustainable use of environmental resources.
The demersal shark fishery constitutes a small-scale inshore fishery with a quantified impact which is limited to fish product based on size and species. The fishery is also restricted through regulating fishing effort, as well as spatial restrictions for operations.
The Department of Environmental Affairs does collaborate with DAFF on management areas for these species through initiatives such as the development and implementation of the National Plan of Action for Sharks (NPOA) published in 2012 by DAFF and the National Biodiversity Management Plan for Sharks (BMP: Sharks) published in 2015 by DEA.
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