South Africa’s fish stocks are a focal point of the World Wide Fund for Nature in SA’s (WWF SA) agenda for this year, the organisation said in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Rob Little, head of conservation, told a press conference the WWF SA believed it would get the government to declare Prince Edward Island a protected area.
Illegal fishing is netting toothfish around the South African island, between mainland Africa and Antarctica.
”It would be the largest marine protected area in the world,” Little said.
Apart from non-target fish species being netted, albatrosses were also victims of fishing techniques.
”We are working closely with WWF New Zealand and WWF Australia on unregulated fishing practices in this regard.”
Little said that WWF SA was also in the throes of a seafood awareness campaign, launched in October, which offered emblems to restaurants that adhered to responsible use of fishing resources.
”Consumers will [hopefully] go to the restaurants that participate, not the others.”
Commenting on the effects of the ban on four-by-four vehicles, implemented by former Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Valli Moosa, Little said reef fish stocks had already improved now that fishermen could no longer drive straight to fishing spots.
WWF SA also said it would be starting a climate change management programme, which would involve liaising with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa.
On the banking front, WWF SA said it would encourage South African banks to make ”environmental ideals”.
An international report on sustainable banking by the WWF world body found most banks among 39 it researched were ”not good”.
Although no South African banks were among the 39, the report was ”a nice framework” that would be challenging for South African banks, said Therese Brinkcate, manager of WWF SA Green Trust.
”South African banks have a good social record, but environmentally they still have a long way to go,” she said.
”We don’t want green washing — giving money — we want to engage in mature agreements.”
She said that the organisation had already entered a new partnership with Nedbank.
”We will assist them in terms of guidelines on how to put sustainable policies into place.” – Sapa