Developing a policy and operational protocol for the formation of new commercial fisheries in South Africa

Abstract

The development of new fisheries is one of the few options open to support the demands of South Africans for increased commercial access to their marine resources. Globally, the development of most new fisheries has been far from sustainable. Typically, it has been fast and unrestrained, with an inevitable collapse following soon after it commences. Although these failures can be ascribed to a number of factors, the lack of an adequate institutional framework and a misunderstanding of the role of experimental fishing have played a major role. Using available international policies and the unique challenges facing fisheries in South Africa, a policy and framework is proposed for developing new fisheries in South Africa. A three-phased management system is proposed, which is general in nature and could be applied to any new fishery.