THURSDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 2003: The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mohammed Valli Moosa, has told Parliament's National Council of Provinces (NCOP) that his department has confiscated abalone with an estimated value of R100 million since September 2001.

Responding to a question from a member of the NCOP, Minister Moosa said the total weight of the confiscated abalone was 188 tons, adding that the abalone was not yet sold by the department, as it still needed to put control measures in place that would ensure that abalone sold would not be purchased by
poachers, thus providing them with the means to have abalone legally in their possession.

He emphasised that the abalone would be disposed of through a tender with strict and specific conditions of sale.

At a Parliamentary media briefing early this week, Minister Moosa made it clear that government intended becoming tougher and more dangerous on abalone poachers through a vigorous operation that involved his department, the elite Scorpions investigative unit; the South African Police Service (SAPS), the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). A number of honorary coastline inspectors will also join the operation. He further indicated that the department was seriously considering allocating abalone quotas only to small individual divers along the coast and not to big companies.

The Minister told the House that all permits in the commercial fisheries have been allocated, with only the line fish sector outstanding.

He said 1 700 companies and individuals had been allocated fishing rights, 650 of which were Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDIs).

Minister Moosa will tomorrow (Friday, 21 February) attend the launch of a shipyard where four state-of-the-art fishing patrol boats will be constructed on behalf of the department, yet another tough measure DEAT is taking against illegal fishing activities.

The launch will be at Farocean Marine Shipyards, Far Ocean Marine Building, Table Bay Harbour, Cape Town, at 11h00. All media are invited.