Question NW2487 to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
06 November 2020 - NW2487
Lorimer, Mr JR to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether, with reference to the Fishing Rights Allocation Process 2015-16 (FRAP), the provisional allocation included a process to inspect the Deputy Director-General’s (DDG) allocations and submit comments to Whistle Blowers (Pty) Ltd, she will furnish Mr J R B Lorimer with the details of the comments submitted; if not, why not; if so, what (a) verification process was followed on the basis of the comments and (b) are the details of how the provisional allocations changed as a result of the comments; (2) whether there was an effective verification process; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) (a) how will the FRAP 2020-21 process differ from the process used previously, (b) what steps will be taken during the FRAP 2020-21 to ensure that there are no paper quotas to persons from non-coastal communities; and (c) what will be the role of the Fisheries DDG in the FRAP 2020-21 process?
Reply:
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The Department received over one thousand (1000) comments, with the majority (876) being submitted in the West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery. These comments are available for inspection at the premises of the Fisheries Branch.
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The comments were assessed and analysed by members of the Assessment Panel in each fishery.
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The details of how the provisional allocations changed as a result of the comments received can be determined by studying the difference between the Provisonal GPR and the Final GPR.
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(2) and (3) a,b,c
It is common knowledge that the FRAP process 2015/16 has been the subject of lengthy litigation some of which continues to this day.
In our view one of the reasons for this was the decision to centralise decision-making in the hands of the Deputy Director-General of the Fisheries Branch, who was subsequently dismissed, by the then Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
In an effort to ensure a fair, transparent and accountable process of FRAP 2020/21 the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries is doing the following:
appointing a number of Delegated Authorities, rather than just one;
augmenting the capacity of the Department via the appointment of external service providers to assist with the various phases of the FRAP process; appointing a Process Observer/Auditing Firm to oversee and audit the process;
the appointment of an independent Legal Team to advise and ensure a legally defensible process;
developing an online application process in order to reduce data-capturing errors.
MS B D CREECY, MP
MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT DATE: 05 NOVEMBER 2020