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Abalone: Policies that turn Quota Holders into Poachers

Busted! Quota wars in the abalone industry

Abalone: Policies that turn Quota Holders into Poachers

Abalone: Policies that turn Quota Holders into Poachers: In 2004, in a great leap towards undoing the wrongs committed in the apartheid era, 301 abalone quotas were awarded, mostly to individuals from previously disadvantaged fishing communities.

The Fishing Rights Allocation Process (FRAP2004) was fair and open to all, with the scoring weighted in such a way that you had a much better chance of success if you came from a previously disadvantaged community. Other matters that were considered was a history in fishing, relevant qualifications like diving and skippers tickets, if you owned a suitable vessel, investment in the fishing industry etc.

The department organised free 15m abalone diving as well as skippers courses for those in
need, to ensure previously disadvantaged individuals were not excluded.
In an attempt to accommodate as many fishers as possible, minimum viable quotas were given to the maximum number of fishers that the abalone resource could sustain. The intention to provide minimum viable quotas was recorded and gazetted in the fishing policies of the time, and was repeated in the 2016 fishing policies. This process was orchestrated by arguably one of the best heads of our fisheries
department South Africa has had up to date, Mr. Horst Kleinschmidt.

Unfortunately Mr. Kleinschmidt did not foresee that our abalone resource would soon be decimated by
poaching. In 2004, abalone quotas were given for a period of 10 years, and it was made clear to the fishers that their catch performance, involvement in the fishing, how well they looked after their crew, if they abided by the rules and what they achieved with the proceeds of their quotas would be monitored. At the end of the 10 years, all of this would be considered, after which the department would renew the quotas of those that ticked the appropriate boxes. This should have lifted these fishers out of poverty and set them up for life, provided they played by the rules.

Mr. Kleinscmidt as well as other competent officials resigned shortly afterwards. The word on the ground was that increased corruption in the government made it impossible for them to be effective at their jobs. Shortly afterwards the Zuma era started, and from that point onwards it all went downhill. Effective policing of our marine resources
became almost nonexistent, our abalone resource was plundered to commercial extinction in most areas and quotas were cut to far below the minimum viable level.

Quotas were also not renewed after the ten years as was planned, but previous quota holders were issued with “exemptions” on a yearly basis, providing zero security and leaving fishers uncertain of a future income.
Now consider your legal abalone quota holder, trying to abide by the law, but living next to a known poacher. The poacher drives the latest Toyota 4×4 Land Cruiser, is busy adding another story to his house, makes frequent trips to the casino in Caledon and “parties” day and night when the sea is too rough to make a trip to the “bank”, or to be
more precise, Robben Island. Money for Nothing and Chicks for Free – the life of a Rock Star.

He almost never gets caught and even if he does, chances are good that he will get off lightly. He does not have to worry about levies, taxes, boat surveys or the paperwork that accompanies it. In most fishing communities, the poacher is accepted as an upstanding and prosperous member of the community. The quota holder, on the other hand, suffers quota cut after quota cut as the abalone resource diminishes, and earns less and less. The salaries of the DFFE officials that “calculates” these quota cuts steadily increase, along with those of fellow state employees. Quota holders also have to jump through ever increasing hoops, many of them bordering on the ridiculous, and several of the permit conditions DFFE dream up for them are cripplingly expensive. It almost seems as if the department is trying to compensate for their lack of effective enforcement against hardcore poachers by making life more difficult for the legal divers.

And then there is of course the ever increasing taxes, levies, permit fees, boat surveys, expensive safety equipment etc. etc.
Currently abalone quota holders literally spend more time navigating through red tape and begging for useless pieces of paper from lazy officials than harvesting their tiny quotas.
While the abalone poacher is living in opulence, the legal diver can no longer put food on the table for his family. The new replacement cost of the equipment necessary for commercial abalone diving is R1,7 million (2022 figures). Industry standards suggest that, for a business to be viable, you should be able to recover your investment in 3
years time. Quota holders should therefore be aiming at an income of about R570 000 per year; after costs. Consider then that quota holders are currently doing well if they clear R50 000 per year after paying crew, levies, taxes, processing and marketing fees, permit fees, surveys, harbour fees and fuel.

That is, if they do their own diving. Do you think you can live off R50 000 per year? (The minimum wage in South Africa
happens to be R60 000.) After only a few years of quota cuts it became financially unviable to own and maintain a
fishing vessel. The majority of quota holders opted to find other employment, sell their boats and pay someone else to harvest their abalone, which is sound financial reasoning. They effectively become paper quota holders from this point onwards.

A paper quota holder is a person that benefits from a fishing right, but pays someone else to do the harvesting. Interestingly enough, “officially” this is frowned upon by the department, but not in practice. For instance, the department has no problem if you appoint a “representative” to apply for your permit and harvest your fish. Paper quotas have in fact become a huge problem in most of South Africa’s fishing sector; and are
taking the food from the mouths of the real fishermen.

Those that chose to keep fishing had a hard choice to make, namely starve, or start breaking the rules and join the ranks of the poachers to supplement their incomes. Everything considered; can you blame them for stepping over the line? What would you have done if you were in their situation; and often had few other skills? The department
has failed them. The situation is however not unique to the abalone sector. The real problem seems to be that politicians decided it is a good idea to trade fishing rights for votes.

Over the past decade the department has awarded a multitude of tiny, unviable quotas in what
seems to be some kind of socialist revolution that will keep the masses poor and begging till doomsday comes. Many of those receiving these tiny quotas have never been fishermen, and are unlikely to ever put their feet on a fishing vessel. Most of these fishing rights are harvested by a small number of fishers, often the current quota
holders, making the majority of the new entrants paper quotas. Those that do venture on the ocean, will quickly be faced with the same choice: break the rules, or starve.

The best example of this can probably be found in the West Coast Rock Lobster Sector.
There are however legal as well as moral issues with all of this. The current quota holders have a legitimate expectation (a legal concept) to keep making a living the way they have for more than 20 years. You cannot just take their quotas away, as the department intended. The other problem is the various gazetted fishing policies, that
clearly state that minimum viable quotas will be awarded. There is of course no point in awarding quotas that are not viable. If you are financing and maintaining your vessel and towing vehicle with money generated not from your legal fishing rights, then you never needed a quota in the first place – or you are a criminal. Rumour is that the Department intends to remove the “minimum viable” clause from the various fishing policies.

Now, for a quick case study. For convenience I will use myself. I am lucky enough to have an abalone quota (reduced since I also have a lobster quota), a Nearshore West Coast Rock Lobster quota AND a linefish quota (4 man). Theoretically I should be set for life; and according to the various fishing policies any single one of these quotas should be enough to sustain my family and maintain my equipment. Yet, I am living in perpetual debt, and currently cannot afford to drive the 100km to Cape Town to collect my abalone permit ( a new condition dreamed up by the department who used to email our permits), or put fuel in my boat to harvest my abalone.

I own a 5m boat that is 30 years old, with two motors that come from the early 1990’s. My towing vehicle also dates back to the 1990’s and is literally rusting to pieces. I am not a big spender and I do not use drugs, apart from the occasional beer or glass of wine. I am married and have twin sons aged 9, and we are home schooling. We
generally live frugally.

Financially, trying to play by the rules has left me in a deep hole. From abalone I cleared R40 000 last year, and from rock lobster I cleared R20 000 after costs. From linefish I made no profit. Sure, I had some excellent and profitable days catching fish, but the profits were quickly eaten up by the fuel cost of many unsuccessful trips when the fish was simply not there; or not biting. I have suggested some more fuel efficient options to the department, but were haughtily informed that the department could not consider these options for reasons unexplained.

Generally, I try to abide by the law. Even so, I get butterflies in my stomach when approached by Sea Fisheries Inspectors. There are just so many things that need to be in place; and it is very easy to unintentionally break one of the myriad permit conditions leaving you with a crippling fine; or even confiscation of your equipment and arrest.
Once again, the Department needs to come to the table. Giving unviable quotas will ultimately lead to the destruction of our marine living resources, and will only increase the poverty of our fishing communities. I am urging those in positions of power to apply pressure where it is needed.

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

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NSRI JetRIB Janine Named and Blessed at Yzerfontein

Yzerfontein gets a new JetRib featuring Janine Winder

NSRI JetRIB Janine Named and Blessed at Yzerfontein


NSRI JetRIB Janine Named and Blessed at Yzerfontein: The NSRI’s newest JetRIB (an inshore rescue vessel) Janine, sponsored by the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre (WCDMC), was blessed and named during a traditional ceremony on Saturday, 29 March 2025, at the NSRI’s Yzerfontein Sea Rescue station.
The vessel, which will operate from Station 34 Yzerfontein, marks the sixth JetRIB donated to the NSRI by the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre (WCDMC). All six vessels have been named in honour of women working at the WCDMC. This JetRIB is named after Janine Winder, Deputy Director: Mitigation.
Since 2015, the WCDMC has generously supported the NSRI by sponsoring rescue equipment, training, an all-terrain vehicle, and various water safety initiatives.
The NSRI JetRIB is a cutting-edge inshore rescue vessel, resulting from a collaboration between the NSRI and Droomers Yamaha in 2019. With its water-jet propulsion, the JetRIB is more environmentally friendly than traditional two-stroke outboard engines. Its design eliminates the risk of propeller strikes, making it safer for both casualties and rescue swimmers.
The JetRIB won the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) award for Innovation and Technology in 2021 and has garnered international attention, with interest from countries as far afield as Norway, Iceland, and Ascension Island. It has proven instrumental in many recent rescue operations, including during the KwaZulu-Natal and Overberg floods.
According to NSRI Rescue Services Director Brett Ayres, each JetRIB — including its road trailer, rescue gear, and personal protective equipment for the crew — costs approximately R697,000. Thanks to continued donations, 42 NSRI stations are already equipped with a JetRIB, with two more planned for Nature’s Valley (a satellite station of Station 14, Plettenberg Bay) and Gariep Dam.
NSRI CEO, Mike Vonk, expressed gratitude for the latest addition:
“The NSRI would like to thank the WCDMC for their generous sponsorship of the new JetRIB Janine, which will be stationed at Station 34 Yzerfontein, and for their ongoing support.”
“Rescue is all about teamwork, and we are grateful to have partners like the WCDMC who always go the extra mile,” he added.
Assistant Director of Preparedness and Response Sharon Marthinus said, “As the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre, we recognise the invaluable role that the NSRI play in safeguarding the lives of those who venture into our waters.”

“Your commitment to search and rescue operations, often in the most challenging and dangerous conditions, is nothing short of remarkable.”

“As partners in disaster management, we are privileged to work alongside you, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration to further enhance our collective capabilities in responding to emergencies,” she added.
Photographs of the ceremony can be downloaded from the NSRI’s Flickr page. https://www.flickr.com/photos/searescue/albums/72157625451651624/
Issued by:
For interviews or information, please get in touch with NSRI Communications Manager Andrew Ingram at andrewi@searescue.org.za or on 082 990 5977

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.

The NSRI is 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 and evolve constantly and extend its water safety initiatives through empowerment and visibility. Our volunteers are on call 24/7 and rely on donations and sponsorships.

Please visit www.nsri.org.za for more information.

NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774

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

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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
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Sail Boat rescued at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Sail Boat rescued at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay

Sail Boat rescued at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay: that Dikeledi whipped up some serious east winds for us to contend with. Here in KZN it shoved moisture-rich air onto the land, fully charged from the cyclone, dumping buckets of rain about the place.

Down in that unruly ocean in the south, it came blasting through at 30 knots plus. Unrelenting in its will to flatten anything and everything. Including this sailing yacht, that survived once again due to the efficiencies and commitment by the NSRI contingent.

Over to Craig…

NSRI – Mossel Bay –Tuesday, 21 January. A foreign sailing yacht that drifted ashore has been recovered:

Yacht at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay runs Aground 21 Jan 25
Yacht at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay runs Aground 21 Jan 25

A Finnish couple have been assisted after their sailing yacht drifted ashore in the early hours of Tuesday morning at Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.

Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay duty coxswain, said:

At 08h16, Tuesday, 21 January, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Mossel Bay Port Control, and Police Sea Borderline Control, reporting a sailing yacht that had drifted ashore at Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.

The high tide had just turned, high tide in Mossel Bay on Tuesday was 08h02.

The NSRI Mossel Bay rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the shore side in an NSRI rescue vehicle.

Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, Police Sea Borderline Control and TNPA members responded.

The TNPA harbour tug boat Arctic Tern was placed on alert by Mossel Bay Port Control.

On arrival on the scene we joined an inflatable boat, The Blue Duck, of The Skippers Foundation of Mossel Bay, that was in attendance – that assisted NSRI during the operation.

NSRI rescue swimmers boarded the craft to assist the yacht crew, a husband and wife, from Finland.

It appears that the couple are sailing around South Africa, we believe that their previous Port of call was Richards Bay, and they were at moorings (at the swing moorings) offshore of Santos beach where, we suspect, during the early hours of the morning, in 3 meter sea swells, their sailing yacht may have broken her moorings and had drifted onto the beach.

The Skippers Foundation of Mossel Bay inflatable boat assisted to transfer a towline from our rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III where NSRI rescue swimmers, in cooperation with the yacht skipper, established a towline.

Timing the sea swells that were washing ashore in the outgoing tide, and using our rescue craft, we were able to pull and turn the casualty sailing yacht, that was initially lying side on – abeam – on the beach, to bow to the sea, and then attempts were made to pull her (the sailing yacht) gently off the beach in the shallow water, but attempts were not successful.

Later, we were joined by the TNPA harbour tug Arctic Tern – the towline was transferred to the Arctic Tern and they were able to pull (tow) the sailing yacht out to sea.

NSRI Mossel Bay rescue crew remained onboard, with the 2 sailing yacht crew, throughout the operation.

Her anchor, still deployed, that was dragging – while being towed further out to sea – was recovered manually once they reached deeper waters.

Arctic Tern towed the casualty sailing yacht into Mossel Bay harbour where, once inside the harbour, we rafted our NSRI rescue craft alongside the casualty sailing yacht and then safely moored her at the Vincent Jetty, at around 11h15, and no further assistance was required.

-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.
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

Sardines and Sighting Maps

We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! And it already has some sardine action logged!

2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps growing.

Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…

These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.

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 here

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za –  will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts

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Corruption in Fisheries: The Abalone Crisis by Anton Kruger

Abalone

Corruption in Fisheries: The Abalone Crisis by Anton Kruger

Corruption in Fisheries: The Abalone Crisis by Anton Kruger – Anton Kruger is a humble waterman from the Boland area who has a big voice. Anton is a voice for the many discriminated-against fishing communities dotted along our lovely coastline. They are abused and pushed around by the Department of Fisheries, an ignorant rogue government organisation with a long history of zero understanding of anything to do with the ocean, her ways, and the rites of passage that might eventually lead to her blessings and her bounty.

Over to Anton…

It is no secret that the Department of Fisheries has a long history of corruption and incompetence.
The constant struggle for financial survival experienced by many legal fishermen, as well as the severely depleted state of most of our fishing resources, serves as a constant reminder to us about just how rotten this organization has become.
Their latest plan, to be implemented by DDG Ms. Sue Middleton, really is the cherry on top, and needs to go down in the halls of fame of South African atrocities implemented by corrupt, idiotic and uncaring governments, right alongside the evacuation of District 6.

That’s her…


Ms. Middleton has been quietly hatching plans to completely take away the fishing rights of 300 abalone fishers while consulting with everyone except those that will be losing their fishing rights in the process. In true “apartheid era” style; their rights would simply be given to another much larger group living in the same community, while ignoring all objections. Needless to say, this will only serve to further divide and enrage fishing communities. This bomb was recently dropped on them by Mr. Odwa Debula, director of Inshore Fisheries, at the latest Abalone Working Group Meeting.
When angry fishers insisted to meet with Ms. Middleton in person to discuss, she chose to hide in her office rather than face the people whose lives she is about to destroy. The quota holders were haughtily informed via email to submit their comments in writing once the plans were Gazetted. It is no secret that once anything gets Gazetted in South Africa, it is rarely changed.
Please consider that all of this is supposedly done under the banner of “Transformation.” Then consider that about 95% of these fishers, that will permanently lose their rights if Ms. Middleton has her way, come from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. This fishery has clearly been“Transformed” a long time ago. In fact, these fishers have been making a living from legally diving abalone for over 20 years, they have invested in equipment, paid levies and taxes, qualified themselves as divers and faced the elements in one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. Harvesting abalone is what they know and what they are good at.
They are by no means rich either. Almost none of them have insurance, pensions or medical aid. In fact, their quotas are so small that it is not a viable fishery at all. To be an independent abalone quota holder, you need a boat, 4×4 vehicle, diving compressor, diving equipment, satellite tracking system and many other small things including lots of expensive pieces of paper called certificates. Currently the new replacement value of this equipment is close to 2 million rand. Yet, due to their small quotas, these divers will do well if they clear R40 000 per year from their quotas after covering all their expenses. This means that they will have to dive for 50 years just to pay for their equipment, if they do not use a single cent to pay for “luxuries” – like food on the table. It is no surprise that many of them are using old, unsafe, unreliable and outdated vessels, vehicles and diving equipment.
Industry standard for business states that if you cannot repay your capital investment in 3 to 5 years, a business is not considered viable. It is therefore ironic that the gazetted abalone fishing policy says that “minimum viable quotas” will be awarded, while it clearly has never been the case for these fishers.
On the other hand, I recall that Ms. Middleton’s position was advertised about 8 years ago for R600 000, plus all the usual state benefits like pensions and medical aid. With inflation, Ms. Middleton’s “package” should be worth close to a million rands per year by now. It is therefore no surprise that Ms. Middleton has been known to come to meetings, when she still lowered herself enough to speak to us, with the latest sexy black 2-door Mercedes. It is likely that the abalone fishers under discussion clear a mere 5% of what Ms. Middleton earns in a year. Even this will soon come to an end if Ms. Middleton has her way.
The same thing Ms. Middleton now plans for the abalone sector was done to a lesser degree to the Nearshore West Coast Rock Lobster Sector in 2016, when this fishery was effectively destroyed by the department in the name of “Transformation.” Once again, they targeted the small, struggling independent fisherman with no access to legal resources, and once again 90% of these fishers were from historically disadvantaged communities. The quotas of these poor fishermen were cut far below the viable level, while the bulk of the lobster TAC remains today in the hands of only two large companies that have profited from lobster for many years, namely Oceana and Premier fishing. If the intention was to “Transform”, they would have been the obvious starting point. This should be investigated and corrected.
The last thing to consider is that the abalone resource is severely depleted. Large scale poaching, which the Department has taken very few effective measures against to ensure that our abalone stays alive and in the water, has decimated our resource while the Department has benefited greatly from the sale of confiscated dead poached abalone. In fact, the Department has been boasting about financing themselves this way. Making a large, new group of people, most of them not qualified to dive abalone and therefore likely to be paper quota holders, financially dependent on this depleted resource, is highly irresponsible. The Department’s first responsibility is towards the survival of our resources. In fact, by International Treaty they are not supposed to consider ANY expansion of a fishery when the level of a resource has declined below 20% of pristine, a level that South African abalone has dipped below a long time ago.

That’s him…

Much hope has been expressed that the new Minister of DFFE, Dr. Dion George, would step in and arrest the madness in our fisheries department. It however appears that this will not happen. All emails to minister George on the subject have been ignored. Minister George faced the fishers in Hermanus once with the empty promise that he would be back. He never returned. Our only conclusion is that a deal was made in the GNU not to derail certain plans that were set in motion under ANC rule. It makes you wonder what other ‘deals’ were made.
The sentiment that “You have had your chance; it is now time for someone else to take over” has been conveyed to us through the grapevine.
Our message to all those officials, ministers, members of parliament and politicians who advocates this is simply:
“If you feel so strongly about helping those you perceive as being “in need”, please proceed by example. It is only fair that you should not expect from us what you would not wish unto yourself.
Therefore, please resign with immediate effect and make arrangements to select a replacement from those that you are concerned about. You have had your chance, it is time for someone else to benefit from your massive salary.
Only once you have done this, come back to us to discuss taking our livelihoods away.”
We should stop putting these overpaid, self righteous clowns on pedestals. They are not acting in the best interest of fishers, or in the best interest of our resources. They are dividing our communities and causing conflict and suffering. They are the problem, not the solution.
There are solutions, but they will only be found through frank and open discussion including all roleplayers, and implemented by a more sensible government than the current one.
Anton Kruger

Sardines and Sighting Maps

We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! And it already has some sardine action logged!

2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps growing.

Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…

These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.

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 here

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za –  will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts

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