Minister allocates fishing rights

Friday, October 2, 2015

Pretoria - Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, has allocated oyster fishing rights to 18 appellants out of 74.

On Friday, Minister Zokwana informed the public and the fishing industry of his decisions on appeals filed against decisions taken on 30 December 2013 in the oyster fishing industry.

Key considerations when deciding the appeals by new entrant appellants were whether the appellant lived adjacent to or within close proximity of the harvesting zone and transformation in the industry.

“With regard to right holder appellants, the Minister also considered the appellant’s past performance and whether the appellant uplifted oyster permits and regularly harvested oysters during the period prior to 2013,” the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.

Minister Zokwana also considered appeals filed against decisions taken on 30 December 2013 in the white mussel fishery.

He allocated white mussel fishing rights to those appellants who were able to score 40 points and more based on the revised scoring and weighting criteria. A total of 21 appellants were successful out of the 55 appeals which were evaluated and considered.

The detailed evaluation criteria and scoring that was revised is set out in the Minister’s General Published Reasons for the Decisions taken on the appeals lodged in the White Mussel Fishery of 9 September 2015 (the Appeal GPR).

Minister Zokwana’s appeals advisory team comprises Adv. Shaheen Moolla, Prof. Julian Smith and Mamakhe Mdhluli. – SAnews.gov.za