DA to take action against ‘out of control’ illegal gill-netting in KZN’s watercourses
The Democratic Alliance will call for answers from the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) following the wholesale destruction of KwaZulu-Natal’s water courses as a result of illegal gill-netting syndicates.
The shocking extent of the problem was the topic of a recent DA-led public meeting in Richard’s Bay, with representatives from as far afield as Jozini. During the meeting it emerged that:
- There has been a dramatic increase in illegal gill netting along KZN’s coastline since the national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) replaced Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife as marine compliance officers;
- The two DAFF officers deployed in Richards Bay are not trained in marine compliance or resourced to handle this crime;
- Officers are rotated so often that they cannot get to grips with local conditions and problems;
- The SAPS Water wing are completely under resourced to police this crime; and
- Community Policing Forum (CPF) volunteers have little power, cannot make arrests and have to rely on assistance from law enforcement, ultimately placing their own safety at risk.
It is clear that marine conservation in our province is in crisis with gill nets - also known as the “Wall of Death” as they catch everything regardless of size - comparable to an evil virus.
Perhaps the most shocking revelation during the meeting was the fact that it is commonly known who makes the nets, how much they cost, where the catch is sold and for how much – everything that is needed to make an arrest. Yet the problem continues.
Regrettably there was no attendance at the meeting by either government of law enforcement representatives, precisely the people that need to act. Apart from the obvious need to enforce the law, it is also critical that government educate communities about the destruction that ongoing and wide-scale gill netting causes and the huge effect it will ultimately have on their livelihoods.
The DA has consistently raised this issue yet nothing is being done. We are committed to holding the DAFF to account and will request details around the training and rotation of officers as well as community education programmes and the involvement of law enforcement agencies.
As a result of the meeting, the DA will also form a working committee comprising of various stakeholders which will meet regularly. We will also arrange for two committee members to attend monthly port and waterways security joint operations meetings.
The health of all our aquatic breeding grounds is vital to the province with Marine Economy cited as one of the pillars of policy to grow the economy and create desperately needed jobs. The DA expects government to protect our marine resources by upholding the rule of law. It can no longer allow crime syndicates to destroy our waterways with impunity.
Statement issued by Ann McDonnell, MPL, DA KZN Spokesperson on Conservation, 22 January 2018
