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Masifundise Development Trust is an independent, non-governmental organisation working with small scale and traditional fishing and coastal communities in the west and south coasts of the Western Cape, South Africa. Although in the last six months, our fieldwork has taken the organisation into the east coast in areas such as the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal. The organisation is the only non-governmental organisation in South Africa working with fisher and coastal organisations in the region and has been engaged with policy development processes in this regard for the past eight years.
ALERT!!!! 31/10/2007
PRESS STATEMENT
Masifundise and Coastal Links welcome the decision made by the Minister to delay the implementation of the suspension of abalone fishing. We appreciate that the Minister has listened to our views and have accommodated it.
We are glad that reason prevailed and that poor abalone fishers will have another chance to put food on the table especially over the Christmas period.
We reiterate that ongoing consultations are required in order to make sure that workable plans are put in place to protect wild marine species and peoples livelihoods. More so we need to take this opportunity to develop effective strategies to combat poaching. With a secured livelihood fishing communities themselves can provide an important contribution to this scourge. But it is also important that government carefully reviews who have abalone harvesting rights so that we can be sure that those who have abused the system are eliminated.
At the coming national summit we will make further proposals that should be included in a new social plan. We look forward to continue to engage with government to make sure that all marine species are protected for future generations and that our fishing communities are lifted out of poverty and food insecurity.
We call on all legal rights holder and others in our communities to respect this revised decision of the Minister.
ALERT!!!! 3/11/2007
MEDIA STATEMENT
Traditional small scale fishers succeed in securing fishing rights
Traditional small scale fishers succeeded in securing fishing rights at the National Summit held in Port Elizabeth at the Nelson Mandela University, from the 1-2 November 2007. This Summit was attended by Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Traditional Leaders, members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Marine and Coastal Management, academics, researchers and 100 representatives from fishing communities in all four coastal provinces.
The Minister addressed the summit on Thursday where he acknowledged that this sector had not received the attention that it deserved and he committed government to recognize the livelihoods needs of these fishing communities.
During the course of the two day summit representatives discussed the negative impact that the existing policy had on fishing communities and the need to develop a new policy framework for this sector. The conference further deliberated on the vision and objectives that such a new policy should address in terms of the needs of local communities. At the end of the two days the summit unanimously endorsed a joint statement that commits the Department to a set of principles that will lead to equity in the fishing industry as well as respect for the livelihoods and indigenous knowledge of these fishers. Central to this statement is an agreement to formulate a new small scale fishery policy that provides for an integrated framework that will ensure poverty relief, food security and local economic development.
Naseegh Jaffer, Director of Masifundise said “this is a significant milestone in the struggle for fishers to get government to legally recognize this sector and the rights of small scale fishers. It is a vindication of these fishers’ struggle that culminated in the Equality Court Order earlier this year. Judge Erasmus ordered the Department to engage with us in order to develop a new policy and legislative framework. We appreciate the steps that the Minister and MCM have taken towards the development of this new policy and we commend them for the commitment that they have now shown in including fishers in policy making decisions.”
The Summit formed a Joint Task Team consisting of fishers from each of the four provinces and government whose task is to finalise a new small scale fishing policy. The Task Team has until the 31 March 2008 to complete this task. Jaffer said “this is a major breakthrough for the fishers. This way of formulating policy is innovative and groundbreaking in a democratic South Africa.”.
Andy Johnston added: “We are extremely optimistic about the sincere commitment displayed by MCM officials to addressing the needs of the fishing communities”.
Copyright 2007 Masifundise