Posted on Leave a comment

Said the Water Rat to the Mole

Working on sunshine: The TSLA Turtle is now also solar-powered, along with the Umzimkulu in Port Shepstone

Said the Water Rat to the Mole

Said the Water Rat to the Mole: from Kenneth Grahame‘s classic The Wind in the Willows.

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”

And then you add fishing!

Check out all the happy crew that have messed around in a boat with Umzimkulu Adrenalin, down on the Umzimkulu, in Port Shepstone…

Gallery

Join us this next coupla holidays, we can take you fishing, cruising, or simply ‘messing about with boats’.

Click on over to Umzimkulu Adrenalin for all the ‘messing about with boats’ options.

Sardines and Sightings

Check out our annual Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past  Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Share
Posted on Leave a comment

The Week in Video By The Sardine News

The Week in Video by The Sardine News

The Week in Video By The Sardine News

The Week in Video By The Sardine News: we start with today’s news in video. Then, we will move back in time as we go through the week.

Sunday 23

Another carbon copy of the day before and the day before and so on. March is famed for it’s beautiful weather. And beautiful ocean. Except that this year the heavy rains have lasted way longer than usual and as of today, the Umzimkulu and other such rivers are pumping out brown water.

The good news is that the forecasters have finally admitted that a west wind is coming. They have put it down for later into the evening tonight in Durban. So South Coasters will get it during the day still.

Saturday 22

Another manky, hot and humid day in KZN. These conditions are always the precursor to a buster south-west but the weather forecasters are having none of it.

Friday 21

Typical March conditions a re prevailing with the arrival of early offshore winds and balmy hot days. The easterly breeze is welcome by everyone except surfers, divers and fishermen. Surely a west is gonna blow sometime soon?

No video report to be found?!

Thursday 20

Somehow I think we missed reporting on this day. Ah! It was Emilio and Shazzas housewarming in Tweni! Welcome to the family newly relocated from Cape Town!

Wednesday 19

Meet the real abalone poachers – featuring Anton Kruger

These time lapses are proving to be a lot fo fun. ANd they reveal more than can be imagined by showing all the many cloud movements happening in their different stratas.

Tuesday 18

Absolutely nothing going on so we went to Harding to see a Type 1A Natal Flash Flood as documented in video by Harding Farmer Bertie Strydom.

Monday 17

This kid has a real bright future!

Sardines and Sightings

Check out our annual Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past  Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Share
Posted on Leave a comment

Rhino Horn vs. Abalone

Rhino Horn vs. Abalone

Rhino Horn vs. Abalone: It does not take a genius to work out that you cannot have those that are supposed to
protect an endangered species profit from trade in dead pieces of the same animals.
Even more so in the corrupt environment that currently exists in South-Africa. Rhino
horn and elephant tusks are excellent examples. International trade in rhino horn and
elephant tusks were banned in 1977 and 1989 respectively. In South Africa, confiscated
rhino horn and elephant tusks are stockpiled, but not sold. Admittedly this is a huge
temptation for criminals and corrupt officials; and there have been “irregularities.”
The arrangement regarding confiscated abalone on the other hand seems made in
corruption heaven. All confiscated abalone is handed over to the department of
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (the department), who then have it processed
and auctioned. The proceeds go into the “Marine Living Resources Fund”, from where it
is used for the “operational expenses” of the department. In fact, the department has
been known to boast about being nearly “self financing” this way. As far as I could
determine, no checks and balances exist externally from the department.
Not surprisingly, a quick search on the internet will reveal several examples of
corruption involving departmental officials and confiscated abalone. One of the most
noteworthy incidents happened in 2018, when most of the top management of the
department, including the Minister, had a legal “punch up” amongst each other that cost
millions; and centered around confiscated abalone. Accusations of criminal conduct
were made by and against all parties involved. You can see the Groundup article by
Kimon Greeff.
https://www.corruptionwatch.org.za/fisheries-department-rots-from-the-top/
at
You would expect that this widely reported incident would motivate those in oversight
and conservation positions to establish a more appropriate arrangement for confiscated
abalone. While there was some discussion on the matter, the status quo remains. On
the DFFE website you will find details of a recent call by the department for the
submissions of tenders for the processing of confiscated abalone for a period of 36
months. The final date for submissions was
17 February 2025. (See
DFFE tender for processing abalone.pdf
)
While it is hard to access exact figures, it is estimated by those in “inner abalone
circles” that the Department trades the live equivalent of abalone at a volume that is 15
times greater than the total legal abalone fishery in South Africa. The department is
currently by far the biggest “legal” trader in wild abalone, and much concern has been
raised to me about the lack of transparency with regards to the amounts processed, the
amounts sold, the yields, the quality, the low prices achieved, the department competing
with the legal rights holders etc. etc.
Keep in mind that the confiscated abalone that the department exports represents only
a small fraction of the illegal trade, since few smugglers actually get caught. This is
confirmed by import figures provided by “traffic”, a monitoring organization. All abalone
are considered “legal” once it reaches the east, making monitoring relatively simple.
According to traffic, the illegal trade amounts up to the equivalent of nearly 3000 tons of
live abalone per year, worth over a billion rands annually.
As they say in a low budget telemarketing commercial: “But wait; it gets even better!!” –
at least from the department’s point of view. The department does not have to
confiscate the illegally harvested abalone themselves. Any abalone that gets
confiscated by customs, law enforcement or the police, has to be handed over to the
department, leaving plenty of time to consider the colour of their next Mercedes. Now
consider that, by implication, the WORSE the department performs at keeping abalone
alive and well in the water, the GREATER their income will be.
The results of this “arrangement” is evident. In the Overstrand, residents have stopped
trying to report abalone poaching a long time ago. Calls to the local branch of fisheries
enforcement go unanswered, that is if you can even find a number to call. I just did a
search on the internet for “fisheries enforcement Overstrand” and could find no number
to call. For many years the standard procedure from the department, if you managed to
make contact AND were not informed that there are no inspectors available, has been
to send a vehicle filled with inspectors to watch poachers killing abalone. This almost
never led to an arrest. It would be stating the obvious when saying that you cannot
enforce a water based crime from the land, and unless you interrupt the poachers in
their activities, you are wasting your time.
The department is NOT open for suggestions to improve their enforcement strategies,
nor do they seem to learn from their failures. An email requesting a meeting to discuss
these matters was pointedly ignored.
The results of nearly 20 years of this “arrangement” is evident to those who enter the
water regularly. You would be very lucky to spot even a single abalone today in areas
that used to be covered in them. Once again, our environment is quietly suffering under
this mismanagement, and the legal commercial abalone rights holders have lost the
bulk of their livelihoods, while DFFE officials have gotten fat (figuratively but sometimes
quite literally) off a resource that was never meant for them. From a government
perspective, instead of just collecting tax and levies off the abalone industry, they have
now effectively and to a large extent “taken it over”; and are walking away with the full
financial benefit that should have gone to the legal fishers.
If anyone should have a claim on the confiscated abalone, or at least on a part of it, it
should be the abalone rights holders, since it was their future income that was
plundered. Yet, as the resource declined, they suffered quota cut after quota cut, and
nearly all of them are currently in financial dire straits.
The sad thing is that this situation is probably reversible, and I have encountered much
goodwill and enthusiasm for such a project. It will unfortunately never happen unless the
department comes to the table. I can only appeal to those in influential positions to start
applying pressure where it is needed.
You can see this post on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15urPFUnn8/
Don’t miss the next article.
Anton Kruger

Sardines and Sightings

Check out our annual Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past  Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Share
Posted on Leave a comment

NSRI News #searescue

NSRI News

NSRI News #searescue

NSRI News: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSRI – STATION 5, Durban. STATION 9, Gordons Bay. STATION 42, Kleinmond. STATION 10, Simonstown. STATION 6, Gqeberha.

NSRI – National – Saturday, 15 March. A medical evacuation operation and preparedness for flooding – Durban. A paddler rescued – Pringle Bay. A paddler rescued – Simonstown. A medical evacuation off a ship – Gqeberha:

NSRI News DURBAN:

Jacques Kruger, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said:

On Thursday, 13 March, NSRI Durban duty crew were alerted by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) to prepare for a medical evacuation of a patient, a female age 71, suffering a medical condition onboard a cruise liner, due to arrive offshore of the Port of Durban on Friday.

On Friday, at midday, NSRI Durban duty crew and Red Line ambulance services convened at the NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base where the NSRI rescue craft Alick Rennie was launched.

We rendezvoused with the vessel offshore of the Port of Durban.

Our NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and a Red Line rescue paramedic were transferred onto the vessel.

The patient, in the care of the ships medical staff, was found to be in a stable condition and it was decided to let the ship enter the Port of Durban where the patient could be taken into the care of Red Line paramedics once berthed in Port.

No further assistance was required and later the ship entered the Port of Durban and the patient was transported to hospital by Red Line ambulance for further medical treatment where the patient is recovering.

NSRI Durban duty controllers, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, Port Health Authorities, A WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, Red Line ambulance services and Police Sea Borderline Control, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in the logistics and coordination of this operation.

On Thursday evening, 12 March, NSRI Durban and NSRI Umhlanga joined the Police and the emergency services preparing for the heavy rainfall that was forecast (on Tuesday night) by SAWS (South African Weather services) with heavy rainfalls anticipated for Thursday night.

A JOCC (Joint Operations Command Centre), established by DRM (Disaster Risk Management) and local Municipal authorities, coordinated emergency response activations to emergency incidents during Thursday nights heavy downpour.

NSRI rescue swimmers and NSRI crew, based in their communities, prepared to assist locally while NSRI rescue swimmers and NSRI crew stood by at the NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base prepared to respond to emergencies in cooperation with Police and the emergency services.

NSRI are aware of a number of incidents that were attended to by response teams but NSRI are not aware of any fatalities or serious injuries.

NSRI commend the vast community preparedness and support, and the cooperation between the emergency services, during the heavy rainfall.

By around 01h00 on Friday morning the worst of the heavy rainfalls subsided and NSRI crew returned to their homes.

We are appealing to the public to not cross over low lying bridges compromised by flood waters and do not try to cross through flooded motorways or rivers under flooding conditions during heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

NSRI News PRINGLE BAY:

Roan Strydom, NSRI Gordons Bay duty coxswain, said:

At 12h48, Wednesday, 12 March, NSRI Kleinmond and NSRI Gordons Bay duty crews were alerted following a call from an NSRI coast watcher at Pringle Bay reporting to be witnessing a paddler appearing to be in distress offshore of Pringle Bay.

Within minutes additional multiple phone calls raising the alarm were being received by NSRI reporting the man to be struggling on a paddle craft offshore of Pringle Bay and being blown further out to sea and now in obvious distress.

NSRI Kleinmond duty crew responded to the NSRI Kleinmond station 42 rescue base where they dispatched their NSRI rescue vehicle, accompanied by NSRI rescue swimmers, while NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew responded to our NSRI Gordons Bay station 9 rescue base where we dispatched our NSRI rescue vehicle, accompanied by NSRI rescue swimmers, and our NSRI rescue craft, Spirit of Surfski 5, was launched.

NSRI Kleinmond and NSRI Gordons Bay rescue vehicles arrived at the NSRI coast watchers house, in Pringle Bay, where NSRI crew observed visuals of the paddler in distress.

The NSRI craft approaching offshore of Pringle Bay from the Gordons Bay side were directed towards the casualty and within minutes of arriving in the area, in 30 knot gusting winds, the man was located and rescued onto the rescue craft.

Treatment for hypothermia to the German male tourist was commenced.

The casualties paddle craft was recovered.

Initially the plan was to take him ashore at Pringle Bay but we opted to keep him in the care of our NSRI medics onboard our rescue boat and reassess his medical condition at our NSRI rescue base.

We brought him to our NSRI rescue base at Gordons Bay harbour where following medical treatment, in good condition and in good spirits, the man was released from our care and collected by a friend.

NSRI are appealing to boaters, paddlers and sailors to download and use the free NSRI SafeTrx smart phone application – www.nsri.org.za SAFETRX.

The NSRI coast watchers are commended for their assistance in this incident – their vigilance contributed to saving the life of the man.

NSRI News SIMONSTOWN:

Sharon Crowther, NSRI Simonstown duty coxswain, said:

At 17h33, Tuesday, 11 March, NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated following an NSRI SafeTrx emergency alert intercepted by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), from a man visiting South Africa from Dubai, in distress on a surf-ski North of Roman Rock Lighthouse, False Bay.

A local Good Samaritan paddler, on a surf-ski, taking part in the same downwind paddle, from Millers Point to Fish Hoek, also activated his NSRI SafeTrx emergency alert, which was also intercepted by NSRI EOC, reporting that he had come across the casualty paddler and reporting that the casualty paddler was in distress and in the water after capsizing and that the casualty had been separated from his surf-ski North of Roman Rock Lighthouse.

The NSRI SafeTrx position showed the casualty to be drifting in the direction of the Glen Beach quarry area.

The local Good Samaritan surf-skier had tried to catch up to the drifting casualties surf-ski, in attempts to return the craft to the casualty man who was drifting in the water, but with the attempts being unsuccessful in the strong winds, after activating his NSRI SafeTrx emergency to also raise the alarm, he was forced to continue on the down wind paddle for his own safety.

Our NSRI Simonstown duty crew responded to our NSRI Simonstown station 10 rescue base while NSRI Simonstown rescue swimmers and CMR (Cape Medical Response) responded to Whale Watchers at Glencairn.

By that stage the local Good Samaritan paddler, who had utilised his NSRI SafeTrx emergency alert, had been forced to continue on paddling for his own safety.

A second Good Samaritan paddler who had also come across the casualty man drifting in the water had tried to assist, but in the heavy sea conditions he was also forced to continue on the down wind paddle for his own safety. He had also activated his NSRI SafeTrx emergency alert to raise the alarm.

The 2 Good Samaritan paddlers are commended for their efforts in trying conditions.

The casualty man remained adrift in the water continuing to display a SafeTrx emergency position that was being monitored by NSRI EOC and by NSRI Simonstown duty controllers.

NSRI coast watchers in the area were alerted to get visuals of the casualty. It was a race against time in the fading light.

The NSRI Simonstown rescue craft Donna Nicholas was launched – also displaying the NSRI SafeTrx position of the casualty on the rescue craft onboard console.

NSRI rescue swimmers and CMR paramedics, arriving at Glencairn, obtained visuals of the casualty adrift in the water offshore of Glencairn.

Concerns were that the man may run aground on the rocky shoreline on the Fish Hoek side of Glencairn.

NSRI rescue swimmers prepared to enter the water to assist while the NSRI rescue craft responded towards the scene.

On the NSRI rescue craft arriving on the scene the casualty man was rescued onto the rescue craft where medical treatment for hypothermia commenced.

A CMR ambulance was dispatched to the NSRI Simonstown rescue base.

The patient was brought safely to the NSRI Simonstown rescue base where CMR paramedics continued with medical treatment for hypothermia.

NSRI Simonstown were then called by the CoCT (City of Cape Town) Fish Hoek lifeguards, at Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club, reporting that the casualty surf-ski had run aground on Fish Hoek Beach and the lifeguards had recovered the craft from shallow surf.

Following medical treatment and rewarming the man, in good condition and good spirits, was released and collected at our NSRI Simonstown rescue base by friends and they collected his surfski at Fish Hoek Life Saving Club.

NSRI reiterates the value of the free NSRI SafeTrx smart phone application that contributed to saving the life of the man in this successful rescue operation.

NSRI are appealing to paddlers, boaters and sailors, to download and always use the free NSRI SafeTrx smartphone application (available on our web page www.nsri.org.za) when launching into water.

GQEBERHA:

Kevin Warren, NSRI Gqeberha duty coxswain, said:

On Saturday, 8 March, at 05h22, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew launched the NSRI Gqeberha rescue craft Rescue 6, accompanied by an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic, and rendezvoused with a bulk carrier motor vessel offshore of the Port of Port Elizabeth, in Algoa Bay, to medically evacuate a 31 year old Chinese seaman suffering a medical complaint.

On arrival at the vessel an NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crewman was transferred onto the motor vessel and the patient, in a stable condition, walking wounded, was transferred onto our rescue craft and brought safely to our NSRI Gqeberha station 6 rescue base in the care of the EMS rescue paramedic.

The patient was transported to hospital in a stable condition by EMS ambulance for further medical care.

NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, Port Health Authorities, A WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, EC Government Health EMS Metro Control and Police Sea Borderline Control, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in the logistics and coordination of this medical evacuation operation.

-ENDS-

About the NSRI:
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is a registered non-profit organisation that is committed to drowning prevention and focused on saving lives, changing lives and creating futures for those threatened by drowning in South Africa.
We are unique in South Africa as the only non-profit organisation focusing exclusively on safeguarding lives and livelihoods in South African waters through education, prevention, and rescue operations. We envision a nation where drowning incidents are minimised, ensuring the safety of all.
The NSRI strives to innovate, constantly evolve, and extend our water safety initiatives through empowerment and visibility. Our volunteers are on call 24/7 and are reliant on donations and sponsorships.

Please visit www.nsri.org.za for more information and NSRI News.
NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774

RELEASED BY

Craig Lambinon
NSRI COMMUNICATIONS

Email: communications@searescue.org.za | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | nsri.org.za

Thats all the NSRI News that we have for you. To get more NSRI News, install the Sardine News App and allow notifications.

Sardines and Sightings

Check out our annual Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past  Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Share
Posted on Leave a comment

Abalone – What is Really going on?

Abalone

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.

Sardines and Sightings

Check out our annual Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

Here are the links to existing and past  Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining  surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single  sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical  sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality

Share