- Hake inshore trawl
- Hake handline
- Hake long line
- South coast rock lobster
- West coast rock lobster
- Abalone
- Large pelagics (tunas and swordfish)
- Small pelagics (anchovies and pilchards)
- Traditional linefish (which includes some 150 species of fish)
- Net fishing
- Mussels
- Oysters
- Seaweed
- Squid
- Prawn trawl
- Horse mackerel (mid water trawl)
- Patagonian Toothfish
- Tuna handline (pole)
- Mariculture
No person may exploit any fish species for commercial purposes without a right granted by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Commercial fishing rights are only granted in terms of a general invitation published by the Minister in the Government Gazette. Once a right is granted to a successful applicant, the right holder is then issued with a permit which is valid for a 12 month period. The permit is issued subject to conditions and may be refused to the right holder if the right holder has not adhered to all permit conditions, provisions of the Marine Living Resources Act or its Regulations.
In addition, the fishing vessel to be used by the right holder must be licensed by Marine and Coastal Management. Finally, when a right holder lands fish harvested in terms of the permit, the right holder is then obliged to pay a levy for the fish landed on a per kilogram basis.
South Africa has managed it’s fishing resources well and has good reason to be proud of it’s record. Globally, our country is recognised for it’s effective fisheries management.
The recently awarded acclaimed International Marine Stewardship Council certification for the outstanding manner with which we have managed our hake fish stocks, which were on the brink of depletion in the 1970’s, is testimony to this.
With a few exceptions such as line fish species and abalone, our fish stocks have been maintained over decades. The commercial fishing industry in South Africa is worth 15 Billion annually, providing approximately 30 000 direct jobs and further 100 000 casual or indirect jobs.
