Question NW4263 to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
14 December 2015 - NW4263
Rabotapi, Mr MW to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(1) Whether his department keeps a blacklist of vessels that have been engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated activities in the country's fishing waters; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether any such vessels have been apprehended in the past five financial years; if not, why not; if so, in each case, (a) what charges were brought against the culprits, (b) how many successful prosecutions were made in this regard during the specified period and (c) what were the sentences and/or fines; (3) (a) are vessels so apprehended banned from the country's waters and (b) is any action taken against the companies or countries that own the specified vessels; (a) the above vessels have not been registered to operate in SA waters (b) If owners of the transgressing vessel is confirmed, Yes. The flag state is advised for it to take corrective measures. (4) whether this information is shared with (a) regional fisheries and/or (b) marine organisations that the country is a member of; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
- Yes. The Department has its own transgression register. The Department also has access to the blacklisted and suspected vessels website.
- Yes. Seven vessels. (a) the charges were the contravention of the Marine Living Resources Act, Act 18 of 1998; Section 13 (1) and (2) read with section 58 (1) and (2) of the Act. Further charges related to the contravention of the Regulations, Reg 80 (1) (a),(b) and (c). The criminal cases against the captains of these vessels were withdrawn. The captains were deported by the Department of Home Affairs to their countries of origin. The vessels were confiscated to the state and subsequently auctioned off by the Department. The investigations into to the ownership as well as flag state of these seven vessels is still ongoing.
- (a) The vessels in question have not been registered to operate in South African waters. (b) Yes. If owners of the transgressing vessel are confirmed and verified then the flag state is advised to take corrective measures.
- (a) Yes. (b) Yes. (c) The transgressions by the above vessels were reported to the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Blue Tuna ( CCSBT) and noted. It was also reported that the fish on board these vessels had been sold in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act.