(David Harrison/M&G)
South Africa has about 147 fishing communities along its 3000km coastline which have fished for a living for generations and for this reason, hold nature and the ocean in high regard.
These communities are also hubs of a wealth of knowledge on fisheries, the sustainable use of natural resources through indigenous practices, and a history of indigenous natural resource governance systems.
But small-scale fishers face myriad problems while trying to sustain their livelihoods in their ancestral landscapes.
This is caused by many factors, particularly related to the industrialisation of the ocean through “blue economy” initiatives materialised through “Operation Phakisa”, oil and gas extraction and the expansion of marine conservation, leading to the exclusion of coastal communities and, in some cases, the criminalisation of their work.
This is why the Masifundise Development Trust and Coastal Links South Africa, with the support of activists and research institutes such as the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies at the University of the Western Cape, hosted South Africa’s first Fisher People’s Tribunal.
The event was held in Kalk Bay, Cape Town, in early August, as a foundation for a conference to be held in October.
The tribunal addressed several problems faced by South Africa’s small-scale fishers, key to them was looking at the small-scale fishers policy and whether its promises have materialised.
The policy was established in 2012 after years of consolidation and mobilisation to recognise small-scale fishers and their customary rights in South African legislation.
The tribunal presented testimonies on six cases from fishing communities, highlighting the problems and experiences of coastal and inland fishing communities. Some of the key issues highlighted were:
Flawed implementation of the small-scale fishers policy
More than 10 years after this policy was passed, the promises of gender equity, food security and inclusion of fishing communities in decision-making processes have not materialised.
Rather, they are experiencing evolving forms of exclusion which result in loss of access to and the erasure of their livelihood. A key issue concerning the policy was the co-management models and their implementation.
These have failed to consider the contexts in which the different fishing communities exist, leading to the exclusion of many fishers from participating in co-management and forming part of the cooperatives, mainly through processes and criteria.
This has led to many fishers not having access to their fishing rights and therefore not benefiting from initiatives for small-scale fishers.
The tribunal called for a reform in the current structure of co-management and the adoption of community-led and context-based co-management approaches that do not only see communities as statistics in the co-management process but a valuable stakeholder whose voice matters in key decisions affecting their livelihoods.
Effect of oil and gas extraction
At the heart of the blue economy and the industrialisation of the ocean for economic growth and profit is oil and gas exploitation.
This has led to serious consequences for fishing communities along the West Coast, according to testimonies presented at the tribunal.
The ongoing mining and industrialisation of the ocean has resulted in nutrition problems and a decrease in the fish population, leaving fishing communities struggling to make ends meet.
One of the key concerns from communities in this regard has been that these projects start without any consultation with residents, which shows the lack of regard for their well-being and livelihoods.
Although much progress has been made in fighting oil and gas extraction and mining, fishing communities continue to struggle against big mining and oil and gas corporations. They have called for interventions by civil society, the government and organisations working on the climate crisis.
Conservation and customary fishing rights
The tribunal also presented a case that highlighted incidents of violence against small-scale fishers in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, caused by the current forms of conservation.
This is based on a “fences and fines” approach that creates clear dichotomies that separate people from nature and their interaction with it.
This has led to the criminalisation of the livelihoods of small-scale fishers. They have been arrested, physically beaten by conservation officials and their fishing gear confiscated. One testimony was by a fisher from the Eastern Cape who is paralysed after being shot by rangers in a park.
The tribunal called on the need to locate the struggle for access to the ocean and the protection of fisher people’s rights within the discourse and the struggles over land issues.
This is important for the consolidation of a unified approach to fighting big corporations and protecting the rights of communities and their livelihoods across South Africa.
Siphesihle Mbhele is an associate researcher at the Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies, He is the founder and co-host of Activating Youth Activism Podcast. Instagram: siphesihle.mbhele / activating_youth_activism Twitter: SiphesihleMbh11