PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Plettenberg Bay fishermen are up in arms over a government proposal to prohibit fishing along significant stretches of the Robberg marine protected area (MPA), claiming it would not only infringe on the rights of local communities but could have a devastating impact on many residents' livelihoods.

Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa earlier this year published draft regulations for the management of the Robberg MPA by rezoning popular fishing spots to no-take zones. 

Affected parties and stakeholders had until Tuesday 19 September to provide input, and several residents, anglers and affected organisations submitted their objections.

One of these is local resident Giles Butlin whose objection is supported and endorsed by various individuals and groups including the Kranshoek and New Horizons communities.

Butlin says the proposed measures include the closure to angling off significant stretches of the Robberg Peninsula coastline, ostensibly in order to protect fish species from overexploitation and to promote their reproductive capacity.

He adds, however, that the vast majority of angling activity on Robberg targets pelagic species such as garrick, yellowtail, bonito and the occasional tuna.

'Angling has no impact'

“The stretch from Boomslangbank to Rooikrantz, which the proposals envisage closing, is only fished for these species which, by their nature, are migratory. The fact that the angling on Robberg has no impact on their breeding can be demonstrated by the fact that juvenile fish are seldom, if ever, caught,” Butlin says.

He suggests that the biggest threat to the fish population in the area is the burgeoning seal colony.

The stretch on the western coastline from Agterstraat to Kwaaiwaer which the proposal also seeks to close for fishing, he says, is the only area where nonpelagic species such as musselcracker and galjoen can be caught. Due to various factors, including harsh sea conditions and difficult accessibility, the area is, however, “lightly fished”.

“It is nevertheless an important part of the economic and historic heritage of the local communities who gillie for tourists. Closing this area will therefore make no appreciable difference to the resident fish stocks, which in any event are spread down the coastline for 30km to Knysna and beyond.”

'Gillies dependent on fishing'

Derek Philander, a representative of the New Horizons fishing community, said at a public participation meeting last week that all they know is to gillie for families who have been holidaying in Plett for generations. 

“The skills were passed on from my father by his father to me and my children. We are dependent on this,” Philander said.

This is how the gillies in the community put food on their tables, he said, and put their children through school. “It is in our blood, it is our lifeline.”

He added that gillies act as security in the area, as tourism ambassadors, as bait controllers and are the first on the scene when someone is in trouble or injured. “What about our history? What about our traditions?”

'How do we feed our families?'

Quinton Snyman, a representative of the Kranshoek fishing community, agreed. He said that the subsistence fishers should not be “locked out” and that the R40 entrance fee at Robberg is already too much for them to pay. 

“How do we feed our families as we have done for generations?” Snyman asked.

Chair of the Plettenberg Bay Angling and Boating Club, At Coetzee, says that these fisherman have little impact on the coastal ecosystem, but taking fishing away from them would have a direct effect on their livelihoods. 

“This in turn could have a direct effect on tourism as recreational fishermen could go elsewhere to pursue their sport.”

Giles says there are already regulations relating to fishing including bag and size limits and bait restrictions and collection. 

“In addition there are restrictions specific to Robberg, most notably the prohibition of bait collections. Rather than implementing proposals that are meaningless and merely infringe on people’s rights, more attention should be paid to monitoring and enforcement of the existing regulations.” he says.

ARTICLE: YOLANDÉ STANDER, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD CORRESPONDENT

'We bring you the latest Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route news'