Perlemoen is in danger of becoming extinct if current poaching levels continued, SABC television news reported on Sunday.
Citing unnamed marine scientists, the public broadcaster warned that more than 30 times the legal harvest could see the rare shellfish being wiped out within the next four years.
However, Operation Neptune, a combined effort between the police, the national defence force, marine and coastal management and the Assets Forfeiture was making significant progress in the arrest of poachers and their assets.
The 10 000 tons of perlemoen illegally harvested last year is worth almost R2-billion.
Poachers openly plundered marine reserves, intimidating and even assaulting people living in Hawston, Kleinmond, Gordons Bay and Betty’s Bay. Six months later, they are not so brazen.
Earlier this week, Lennit Max, the Western Cape Police Commissioner, outlined the successes achieved by operation Neptune in the past six months.
There were 472 arrests, more than 100 000 abalone recovered, 40 motor vehicles, 80 boats and diving equipment worth tens of thousands of rands confiscated.
More 200 observation posts have been set up along the coastline, 140 000km were covered in vehicle patrols and the police maritime unit spent more than 1000 hours on the water in coastal patrols.
Max promised not only arrests but also successful prosecutions. ”As we speak there are three high flyers, gang leaders, in jail.”
What made the difference? In November last year the defence force joined the anti-poaching operation as did the Scorpions and the Assets Forfeiture Unit. Suddenly not only were the poachers at risk but so were their assets.
Three weeks ago, Penuell Maduna, the Justice Minister, donated two powerful rubber ducks, confiscated from abalone poachers, to the marine police unit.
The boats had been used by an international syndicate operating off the Cape Coast — their power and speed easily evading the authorities.
Steven Powell, a forensic auditor, says new computer programmes have made it difficult for poachers to hide their illegal gains.
”This creates a capacity to find and identify assets. It is incredibly difficult for the criminals to hide the proceeds of their crime,” said Powell from De Loitte and Touche.
The prosecution of abalone poachers will be expedited when a new special court is set up in Hermanus next month. It is a joint venture between the Departments of Justice and Environmental Affairs and will eventually become a fully fledged environmental court to prosecute all forms of environmental crime.
Frank Kahn, the Director Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, said: ”In addition to having a special court there we will have an asset forfeiture unit as well.”
Despite the increased vigilance by authorities, the illegal abalone trade is so lucrative, that criminals will, inevitably respond with increased efficiency and organisation, and many believe an already depleted resource will remain under threat. – Sapa