16 October
2006 - Media Statement - Compliance officials
from the Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism have successfully disrupted potential
abalone poaching and illegal fishing activities
during a sea-land based operation today (Monday
16 October 2006) in Port Elizabeth.
Having officials both on land
and at sea simultaneously have definitely played
a role in deterring poaching activities today,
according to the inspectors.
The fact that we conducted inspections on several
vehicles and a boat has definitely sent warning
bells for those wanting to plunder our marine
resources today, said Blessing Manale, Head of
Communications who was part of the operations.
During the coastal patrol four
vehicles were inspected. In three of the vehicles
special abalone carry bags were found and confiscated.
During the sea patrol with the high speed vessel,
the Florence Mkhize , officials inspected one
super duck vessel. There were no confiscations.
A second super duck was spotted at the Swartkops
River Mouth but retreated when the Florence Mkhize
was sighted.
During her first three months
of operations the Florence Mkize had among others
done patrols along the coast of Cape Town, Port
Elizabeth and the Overberg regions.
During these operations very
few super ducks were sighted involved with poaching
activities. In August this year, one super duck
was apprehended and fined R 12 000 for contravening
SAMSA Regulations. In another incident another
super duck attempted to leave Swartkops River
mouth in the Eastern Cape but returned to shore
when the Florence was in sight. In yet another
incident a few super ducks which normally operated
in the Port Elizabeth area left for Port Alfred
but did not launch their boats when the Florence
Mkhize was sighted.
This clearly indicate the effectiveness of the
Florence Mkhize as having a highly visible deterrent
effect.
In a separate incident over
the weekend, more than 3000 abalone was confiscated
in Gordon Bay. A man was also arrested in Hawston
after 58 shucked abalone was found in his house.
He was scheduled to appear in court today.
Recent compliance statistics
further indicate that more than 27 vehicles were
confiscated, over 300 arrests were made and fines
worth R650 000,00 were issued.
Records of court cases heard
for a period of 3 months indicate that a total
of 13 direct imprisonments were handed down, fines
to the values of R475,800 were issued and a total
of 65752 abalone and 233 rock lobster were forfeited
to the state.
One of the most recent significant
successes has been the conviction of two Zimbabwean
nationals and the Chinese nationals in the Rustenberg
Court on 11 August 2006 where they were sentenced
to 12 years for a syndicate operation, which started
with a bust in Stanford, Overberg during March
this year when approximately R6million worth of
abalone were confiscated.
Issued by Blessing Manale, Chief
Director: Communications (Acting)
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
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