NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WRITTENÂ REPLY
QUESTIONÂ 643
DATE OF PUBLICATION:Â FRIDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2011 [IQP No 39Â -2011] SECOND
SESSION, FOURTH PARLIAMENT
Question 643 for written reply:
National Council of Provinces, Mr H B Groenewald (DA-WC) to ask the
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries:
(1)With reference to her reply in the National Assembly to question 3318 on
4 November 2011 (details furnished), on which research did her department
base its assessment on night fishing in the Breede River;
(2)whether her department has considered (a) restricted zone fishing, (b)
permanent catch and release fishing, (c) the ban of net fishing, (d) other
fishing methods and (e) any other alternatives; if not, why not; if so,
what are the relevant details in each case;
(3)whether her department has any plans to enforce the proposed moratorium
on night fishing in the Breede River; if not, why not; if so, (a) what
plans and (b) what are the further relevant details? CW792E
REPLY:
(1) The assessment and subsequent recommendations were supported by data
from a number of research initiatives, the primary ones being:
(a)Â A formal stock assessment that showed the stock of
dusky kob (Argyrosomus japonicus) to be collapsed and currently at 2%
of pre-fished levels.
(b) A long-term catch-monitoring programme that has been running for the
last 10 years provided much of the Breede Estuary catch data. Catch
analysis indicated that most of the adult (larger than 110 cm) dusky-
kob caught in the Breede Estuary was caught at night whereas similar
quantities of juveniles were caught throughout the day. It was also
evident from this data that dusky kob could be further protected in
the Breede without impacting much on angler catches of other species.
(c) A long-term fishery-independent research programme that has been
monitoring juvenile fish recruitment and survival in the Breede (and
other estuaries) for the last 10 years. This programme measures fish
response to fishing, freshwater flow and other anthropogenic and
environmental variables.
(d) Population genetics studies that indicate discrete populations of
dusky kob on the South African coastline that would respond positively
to population and estuary-specific management measures.Â
(2) There are a number of existing restrictions (bag and size limits) for
all three local species of kob for recreational, subsistence and
commercial fishers. These vary depending on geographical region.
(a) The night-fishing ban is a temporal measure under the Marine Living
Resources Act. Restricted-zone fishing is being considered along with
zonation of other activities in the Breede Estuary. This aspect is
dealt with in detail in the Breede Estuary Management Plan. Estuary
Management Plans are a requirement of the Integrated Coastal
Management Act and administered by the Department of Environmental
Affairs.
(b) Socio-economic surveys revealed that, although there is a positive
change in angler ethics towards catch-and-release, most of the anglers
in the Breede Estuary would still like to retain some of their catch
to eat. Observer information indicated that there are no commercial or
subsistence fishers in the Breede Estuary but some recreational
anglers, although relatively affluent, are selling a substantial part
of their duskykob catch.
(c) Gillnet and beach-seine fishing is (with one exception) prohibited in
the Breede and all other estuaries in South Africa. There has been a
request from concerned angler groups, the Lower Breede Conservancy
and Breede Estuary Management Forum, to assess the merits of
prohibiting the use of ârapala typeâ lures as these cause high
mortalities of dusky kob and are therefore not conducive to catch-and-
release. Fisheries Research staff are collaborating with other
research institutions on this issue.
(d) There are no real other alternatives but the Breede Estuary is being
seen as a test case that, if it works, could be rolled out to other
estuaries that are important nursery and aggregation habitats for
dusky kob and other fish species.
(3) There is limited DAFF compliance presence on the Breede Estuary. The
Lower Breede River Conservancy is assisting the Department with
compliance enforcement on the estuary and the Department is
currently engaging with them for increased compliance enforcement,
dependent on funding.