Abalone – What is Really going on?

Abalone – What is Really going on?

Abalone—What is really going on? In this series, we have guest star conservation contributor Anton Kruger hard at work educating the government on abalone ethics. This is the second so far; the first one can be found right here (opens in new tab).

Follow my short series about the plight of this unfortunate mollusc and the bun
fight surrounding it; with our government up to its usual tricks.

The DFFE press release about “misinformation” that
really is – well – misinformation
I recently posted about the plans of our sea fisheries department (DFFE) to take away
the abalone from the current legal rights holders and give it to a new group that has no
legal dependence on harvesting abalone, thereby leaving the current rights holders
destitute. A real “rob Peter to pay Paul” scenario – and a repeat of what the Department
did in 2016 to the Nearshore West Coast Rock Lobster Sector. All of this is against the
backdrop of an abalone resource that is in a critical state of depletion. You can see this
post at https://www.facebook.com/share/16cNVRMGgN/
My post was quickly followed by a press release from DFFE, with the title
“MISINFORMATION REGARDING THE COMMERCIAL ABALONE FISHING
SECTOR” in big, bold letters. You can see it at
MEDIA STATEMENT – Misinformation about the Commercial Abalone Fishing Sec…
While not actually saying it in so many words, it keeps hinting at “misinformation” and
“misunderstandings”, basically making out that my post was a fabrication based on not
listening/reading properly. It also seems to try and justify their plans for the abalone
fishery by berating the current abalone exemption right holders, of whom I happen to be
one, and mentions that many of them are currently “under investigation.” More about
this in later; let us first deal with the “disinformation” claim.
I have in my possession the signed-off minutes of the abalone working group meeting for
10 December 2024, confirming my social media protestations. You can see it at
Minutes of Abalone MWG meeting held on 10 December 2024 in MRM Boardroom…
I quote:
“The recommendation on the draft submission is to request the Minister to: approve the
publication of a government gazette for public comment advising of the Minister’s intention
to reclassify the commercial Abalone fishery in the Western Cape as a small-scale
fishery resource allocating 100% of the abalone Total Allowable Catch (TAC) to the
small-scale fishing sector”
From this document, it is clear that the Department intends to take away 100% of the
fishing rights of the current Commercial Abalone Sector to give it to the Small-scale
Sector. What is unclear is what the “misinformation” was?
You will note another line in the “minutes” of the 10 December 2024 meeting that DFFE
tried to slip past us, which was strongly objected to.
I quote:
“The Department is planning to sign off the Abalone strategy that was ?developed with
the industry by the end of the 2024/2025 financial year.”
You will see this line slyly suggests that the current plans for abalone were hatched “in
consultation” with the “industry/stakeholders”. Really. Who in his right mind would
suggest or agree to a plan that would leave them with zero income? This is simply not
true, and a written objection was submitted.
This lie is repeated in the press release. I quote: “?The Department has been having
discussions with various stakeholders to consider the future of the management of the
abalone sector”
Per definition the ONLY abalone “stakeholders” at the moment are the exemption right
holders; and the “Industry” is the combination of the exemption right holders, the
processors and the marketers. Anyone else that currently has a financial dependency
on wild abalone, is not a “stakeholder” but a criminal. That is, except for the department,
but that deserves an article all by itself and borders on criminality if you ask me. Who
the department has been consulting with is unclear, but it certainly has not been the
abalone “stakeholders” that they claim.
I have to point out that the Department has a legal obligation to consult with the current
exemption right holders (all of them), as the ONLY stakeholders, BEFORE drafting or
proposing future plans for the abalone fishery; and not the other way around, as they
are currently doing.
The assurance that “every affected person will be provided with an opportunity to
object” inspires little confidence. Surely a caring and effective Department, that is
mindful to the comments and input of those they are supposed to serve, will, after
extensive consultation with them, attempt to draft a way forward that MINIMIZES
objections?
The department’s track record of minding objections is exceptionally poor. For instance,
during the fishing rights allocation process of 2016 (FRAP2016) all objections to the
Department’s plans for the west coast rock lobster were categorically ignored, and
today the Nearshore West Coast Rock Lobster Sector remains effectively ruined
because of what transpired, which is another big red light. The department still refuses
to even discuss simple remedial action for that sector; and considers the matter “done
and dusted.” On enquiry; I have repeatedly been informed that if I am not happy with the
outcome, I should take the department to court. This has unfortunately become the way
that things are done in the Department.
Finally, in stark contradiction to the Department’s persistent claims about “consultation”
and their willingness to consult, DDG Ms. Sue Middleton has point-blank refused to
meet as a matter of urgency with the current exemption right holders, including myself.
In fact, Ms. Middleton has been approached on numerous occasions and by multiple
organizations that wish to assist in finding ways to not only provide immediate financial
relief for long-suffering fishers in various sectors, but also arrest and reverse the
decimation of our marine living resources before it is too late. The tragedy is of course
that those resources that are being decimated have no voice to protest, and those that
regularly harvest them are unwilling to mention the decline due to fear of having their
quotas cut/revoked.
Ms. Middleton has shown no interest in discussing ways to turn around the destructive
legacy of her Department. All requests for meetings in this regard have been denied. In
fact, in her latest denial, Ms. Middleton has now threatened me personally with legal
action about my utterances. Well, Ms. Middleton, your department has already
financially ruined the lives of thousands of fishers, including myself, by issuing a
multitude of tiny quotas that are all financially unsustainable, with a large number of
them being paper quotas, demonstrating little concern for the health of our resources
and implementing few effective enforcement measures. Not sure what further “relief”
you will be able to wring from me; so go for it.
May I also kindly remind you that you are a public servant and that, while Parliament is
doing everything in their power to put an end to this disgraceful practice, currently we
still have the right to publicly express our dissatisfaction with the “performance” of our
officials. It is called accountability to those you serve, or rather should serve. In your
case, “performance measurement” really demands an article by itself.
And then there is DA Minister Dion George. Numerous letters and requests to him to
intervene have been met with a deathly silence, which has become the norm when
trying to communicate with DA ministers and politicians on those really sticky issues.
Maybe we should start calling him “Silent George?”
You can see this post on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18NvXhfj49/
Don’t miss the next article.
Anton Kruger

Read the first instalment right HERE.

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