COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN FISHING VESSELS INTO SOUTH AFRICAN WATERS

The EMS Foundation submitted comments on the proposed regulations relating to the entry of foreign fishing vessels into South African waters on the 18th February 2024.

Download and read the full commentary on the proposals:

It is indeed positive that the DFFE is addressing the risks associated with allowing foreign fishing vessels to cross the EEZ with fishing gear.

However, these Proposed Regulations do not include any provision pertaining to international vessels which are carrying, processing at sea and trans-shipping fish. This is a gap which, combined with possibly unmonitored import and export activities, may facilitate IUU fishing.

Strictly managing and regulating foreign fishing activities is crucial for the protection of local ecosystems and can help prevent overfishing and depletion of marine wildlife.

These Proposed Regulations should acknowledge, in their purposes (Section 3), the important need to prevent biodiversity loss, increased climate change and multi-crime.

We remain deeply concerned about grave human rights violations, forced labour and other crimes, described in this article and linked to international IUU. The article, reporting one of the incidents in the Cape Town harbour, refers to the abandonment by foreign owners of their vessels and their stranded crews, left behind in South African ports.

Download and read the proposals from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment:

Image source:
https://mg.co.za/article/2020-04-29-chinese-trawlers-bust-in-sa-waters-allowed-to-depart/