17 November 2014

DAFF EXCLUDING UNEMPLOYED FISHER PEOPLE WHILE PROTECTING COMMERCIAL GIANTS AND CORRUPT COMMUNITY LEADERS

Submitted by: Abigail Smith

DAFF PROTECT BIG COMMERCIAL GIANTS AND CORRUPT FISHING COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE ALLOCATION OF INTERIM RELIEF PERMITS – WHILE EXCLUDING A GREAT MAJORITY OF UNEMPLOYED FISHER PEOPLE FROM WEST COAST ROCK LOBSTER 

Date: 17 November 2014 

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries [DAFF] – has once again issued Fishing Permits/Exemptions under their 9th Interim Relief Programme to corrupt so-called “community leaders” and this Fisheries Authority continue in its Protection of big Commercial Fishing Giants such as Oceana – mid the Unemployment crisis amongst Small-Scale Commercial Fisher People along the South African Coastline. The majority of these fishing community leaders are operating a Middle-man System under this Interim Relief Programme which are supposed to bring economic relief to the poorest of the poor Small-Scale Commercial Fisher People. Although the FESA has asked DAFF Minister, Senzeni Zokwana to Investigate this Programme; and a great part of fisher people informed Mr. Craig Smith and his Small-Scale Commercial Section re these actions – both the Minister and the Head of the Small-Scale Commercial Fisheries Section (Mr. Craig Smith) are sitting by and allocate this important resource to corrupt community leaders and their family members. 

While a great part of the Total Allowable Catch [TAC] of West Coast Rock Lobster has once again been allocated by DAFF to rich investment shareholders outside the Fishing Industry via Oceana and other Offshore West Coast Rock Lobster Companies – the Minister of DAFF has excluded 600 unemployed Small-Scale Commercial Fisher People from St. Helena Bay solely (not even including other FESA Member Lists) and when FESA was sending its lists to DAFF, FESA was told that ‘no additional’ fisher people will be included.  So around 1000 of FESA members are excluded, while other fisher groups on waiting lists of other organisations are also excluded. On top of it all – DAFF has excluded the Atlantis and Mamre Fishers completely by not including Yzerfontein, Bokbaai or Ganzekraal on its permit conditions to caught West Coast Rock Lobster or Line Fish under the Interim Relief Programme; also not under the Sport Permit Conditions; which indicate a total chaotic government department. 

The FESA is not intimidated by DAFF’s statement that the WCRL Resource is under a crisis – because for many years (while this so-called crisis has been promoted by DAFF) big Commercial Investment Companies with its rich non-fisher shareholders have still been favoured before the Bona Fide Fisher People of this country who used to wet their hands day and night in the cold seawater to build the Oceana’s and the Fishing Industry.  DAFF Distribution of the WCRL TAC has again send out the statement that this government department will protect the rich despite the economic crisis of the poorest Fisher People of this country. This is unconstitutional, against the human rights of the Bona Fide Fisher People and a disgrace for a country such as South Africa.   

While the DAFF Minister is out of a Plan to address the Unemployed Crisis in the Small-Scale Commercial Fisheries Sector and while FESA is of opinion that the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy will not be the best answer (in the view of the fact that DAFF is irresponsive in taking from the Offshore Sector to provide in the needs of the real Fisher People) – FESA are in the process of getting it’s facts and house ready for a major court case that will Enforce Radical Changes in the Fishing Industry and that will stop all corrupt actions of DAFF and its small ‘mafia’ of alliances. 

Miss. Abigail Smith - The Fishers Engine of South Africa [FESA]

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