The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape says it’s concerned that the newly established Fishing Transformation Council will serve as yet another unnecessary administrative wing in a Department which has been unable to effectively allocate fishing quotas to small-scale fishing communities for the past decade.
The National department of Fisheries announced its intention to establish the council last month.
DA MPP Beverly Schafer says it is pointless to appoint a fisherman to a Fishing Transformation Council when he is effectively unemployed because the Department will not allow him to fish.
“I will be writing to the National Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, to determine whether the Fishing Transformation Council will be represented by all small-scale fishing communities from every demographic in the province and how many members will be on the council, how the process of election will take place following community nominations, what he deems a ‘qualified member fit to serve on the council as’ and what powers members of the Fishing Transformation Council will have.”
