Govt to inject millions into fish farms

The fishing community has welcomed the R100 million rand pledged by government for six marine aquaculture interventions along the coast. This was announced by Environmental Affairs Minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk at the first national summit on Subsistence and Small-Scale Fisheries being held in Port Elizabeth today.

It will include the establishment of an abalone farm in Gansbaai, fin-fish farms in Saldanha Bay, Sokhulu and Qolora, abalone ranching in Port Nolloth and a state hatchery.

Naseegh Jaffer from the NGO, Masifundise, said: "It's a big announcement and a step in the right direction I'm sometimes a little bit worried that there isn't enough in what he said but it is a start.

"The biggest challenge that comes with it is to ensure that that resource goes to the right people who really need it and that there aren't sharks out there that will try and manipulate so that they draw benefit from it. It is community people who must benefit - that is the challenge the minister must make -- that it happens."