South Africa’s oceans could only potentially contribute up to R177-billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and create more than one-million jobs by 2033 if they were managed correctly to ensure sustainable use with lasting benefits for industries such as fishing, which support community livelihoods.

A critical part of this management included rigorous engagement and participation from local communities and businesses, said Nedbank head of cause marketing Maseda Ratshikuni on a media trip to Kogelburg, in the Western Cape, last month.

“In this regard, the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) Nedbank Green Trust’s Kogelberg marine project is succeeding by combining communities with conservation,” he said.

He explained that the WWF Nedbank Green Trust had made progress in the enhancement of sustainable fishing in South Africa by funding a project titled ‘Small-scale fisheries and the Kogelberg Coast’.

The trust is funded by the Nedbank Green Affinity programme, through which Nedbank clients can donate and make a meaningful difference to conservation projects.

The main objective of the project is to demonstrate an integrated ocean management approach by bringing together all coastal stakeholders, including small-scale fishing communities, municipalities, conservation agencies and residents to enable them to reach collective agreement on a plan for the sustainable management of their marine resources.

An effective plan needs to incorporate more than fisheries regulations and marine-protected areas; it should also consider important social concerns, such as improved market opportunities and alternative livelihoods.

WWF senior marine manager John Duncan said during the media trip that 0.4% of South Africa’s ocean areas were protected and urged stakeholders to redouble efforts to reach 10% in the near future. He also warned of the threat of oil and gas mining in ocean fisheries, noting that the country needs an equitable and sustainable plan regarding the protection of the seabed.

WWF Green Trust manager Augustine Morkel said the project aimed to encourage the local community to take responsibility for sustainably managing fish stocks within the Kogelberg area by creating positive incentives for local small-scale fisheries that were working towards the project’s long-term goals.

This included ensuring that the broad principle – managing 80% of the inshore zone within the Kogelberg area for preferential use by smaller-scale commercial and recreational local fishers – was applied, subsequently allowing for the remaining 20% to be set aside as a ‘no take’ area to enablle resources to recover.

Market incentives linking the Kogelberg fishing communities to the formal seafood marketing channels are being introduced to inspire responsible fishing practices – for example, involving chefs from restaurants who serve sustainable seafood to source and serve Hottentot fish from Kleinmond.

Also, some of the country’s leading food retailers have participated in a
WWF-led retailer learning journey and have shown a willingness to source some of the less exploited species, such as mussels and Hottentot fish, from the area.

In helping to ensure alignment, small-scale fishers from the fishing communities of Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond have also been invited to participate in the Kogelberg Biosphere Coast Marine Working Group meetings, which take place every quarter, to discuss the challenges facing effective integrated management in the region.

WWF South Africa has also developed a training course, which has been rolled out to some of the small-scale fishers and relevant stakeholders in the Kogelberg area. To date, only two representatives have been trained in the region, but there are plans to roll out the training nationally with the support of Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.