15 November 2019

The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms. Barbara Creecy, will on Saturday, 16 November announce 15-year fishing rights allocations to small-scale fishing co-operatives in the Eastern Cape.

The Minister will be handing over certificates of rights to small-scale fishing co-operatives to mark the commencement of presenting fishing rights to co-operatives in Eastern Cape.

The Minister will also make an announcement on the “basket of species” in the rights being granted and further announce some of the support programs being facilitated by government to assist with the sustainability of the co-operatives allocated with fishing rights.

After the department amended its legislation in 2016 to recognise the importance of small-scale fishers, the department launched an Expression of Interest process. A total of 316 communities from the four coastal provinces registered their interest and this prompted the department to physically visit all these co-operatives for the purpose of registration and declaration of small-scale fishers in South Africa.

Subsequently, the declared communities have been assisted to register co-operatives and to further apply for 15-year fishing rights for the first time.

Members of the Media are invited to attend this meeting.

Details are as follows:

Date:  Saturday, 16 November 2019

Time: 11h00 – 14h00

Venue: Lillian Ngoyi Community Sports Centre; 7 Kulati Rd, Kwazakele 2

For media RSVPs contact:

Tshego Letshwiti

Cell: 076 307 9634

E-mail: tletshwiti@environment.gov.za /

For all media inquiries contact:

Albi Modise

Cell: 083 490 2871

E-mail: amodise@environment.gov.za

Zolile Nqayi

Cell: 082 898 6483

E-mail: znqayi@environment.gov.za