Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies has approved the revised guidelines of South Africa's Aquaculture Development and Enhancement Programme (ADEP), with implementation effective from April 1, his department said on Tuesday.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and plants in controlled or selected aquatic environments.
The purpose of the new guidelines is to ensure that small, black entrepreneurs benefit from the programme, fostering broader participation and ensuring transformation in the sector, the Department of Trade and Industry said.
"The revised guidelines will assist the sector to grow by stimulating investments, increasing job creation, ensuring food security and improving the competitiveness of the sector," it said.
Davies launched the ADEP in 2013 and 89 projects have been approved with an estimated investment amount of R2.197-billion, leading to about 2 377 jobs being created and sustained to date.