TUESDAY,
31 JANUARY 2006: Pending the allocation of long term fishing
rights, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
has today (Tuesday, 31 January 2006) granted exemptions
in certain fisheries so that fishing can continue until
the final allocations have been announced. Traditional Linefish
A further exemption has been granted to:
• Current holders of medium term rights in the traditional
linefish sector who applied for and were granted an exemption
valid until 31 January 2006;
• Crew who applied for and were granted “exempted crew status”
valid until 31 January 2006.
The further exemption is valid until 28 February 2006,
or until the date of the announcement of the long term rights
allocation in the traditional linefishery, whichever occurs
first.
Right holders and “exempted crew” that have not applied
for the January 2006 exemption, may still make an application
for the further exemption.
Hake handline
Legal proceedings were instituted against the Department
in 2001 following the hake handline allocation process.
A Court Order was granted in terms of which the Department
granted an exemption to “A” or “B” permit holders who were
in possession of a 1998 letter of exemption and who had
applied for, but were not allocated, a medium term right.
This Court Order was valid until the court proceedings were
finalised. Following the withdrawal of the court proceedings
against the Department in 2005, these exemptions granted
have expired and are no longer valid.
A further exemption has been granted only to current holders
of medium term rights in the hake handline sector who have
applied for and were granted an exemption until the end
of 31 January 2006 (and not to the above “A” and “B” permit
holders).
Medium term right holders that have not applied for the
January 2006 exemption, may still make an application for
the further exemption.
1998 “A”, “B” and “T” Permits
The 1998 exemptions granted to certain “A”, “B” permit
holders originally issued under the Sea Fishery Act, No
12 of 1988 have terminated and are no longer valid. The
“A”, “B” and “T” permits are not recognised under the Marine
Living Resources Act No. 18 of 1998. Any fishing undertaken
in terms of these permits is unlawful and will be prosecuted.
The Department again advises that only current medium term
right holders and exempted crew (in terms of section 18
or section 81 of the Marine Living Resources Act No. 18
of 1998) who have applied for and are in possession of a
valid permit may lawfully engage in fishing in the tuna
pole, traditional linefish and hake handline sectors.
Squid and Tuna Pole
A further extension has been granted to those medium term
right holders in the squid and tuna pole sectors who have
applied for and have been granted an exemption for January
2006.
The further exemption is valid until 28 February 2006,
or until the date of the announcement of the long term rights
allocation, whichever occurs first.
Right holders that have not applied for the January 2006
exemption, may still make an application for the further
exemption.
West Coast Rock Lobster (Offshore Area 7)
A further exemption will be granted to medium term right
holders that:
• Return the original exemption granted for January 2006;
and
• Complete and submit the front page of the January 2006
exemption application form.
The further exemption is valid until 28 February 2006 or
until the date of the announcement of the long term rights
allocation, whichever occurs first.
All applications must be submitted to the Customer Services
Centre, 2nd Floor, Foretrust Building, Martin Hammerschlag
Way, Foreshore, Cape Town. |
