the Transkei coast in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act of the failure of Community-based natural resource management.

Transcription

1 The implementation of the comanagement of marine resources on the Transkei coast in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act of the failure of Community-based natural resource management. The implementation of the co-management of marine resources on the Transkei coast in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act of the failure of community-based natural resource management.

2 Historical underdevelopment of the Bantustans The paper starts with a brief historical background to the Bantustans

3 Continued underdevelopment of the Bantustans The continued lack of real development post-1994 Failure of local government, health and education; Land grabs and exploitative development; Foreign mining companies; Problematic implementation of the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998.

4 Top-down to Co-management The next section reviews the historical tendency towards top-down biological management of fisheries internationally and the emergence of a new paradigm of co-management in the last decade

5 Implementation of the MLRA The process of formulation of the MLRA, leads to an examination of how it has been implemented in the former Transkei by Marine and Coastal Management, both under the Department of Environment and Tourism (DEAT), and since 2010 under the Department of Agriculture and Forestry (DAAF).

6 The case study highlights: the lack of any attempts by MCM to involve local government in co-management.

7 Model of community-based natural resource management, ie. coastal communities harvesting of marine resources, that relies largely on instrumental co-management.

8 With change from DEAT to DAFF, new policy: Small-Scale Fisheries Policy

9 The Small-Scale Fisheries Policy aims to provide redress and recognition to the rights of small-scale fisher communities in South Africa previously marginalized and discriminated against in terms of racially exclusionary laws and policies, individualized permit-based systems of resource allocation and insensitive impositions of conservation-driven regulation. In line with the broader agenda of the transformation of the fishing industry, this policy provides the framework for the promotion of the rights of these fishers in order to fulfill the constitutional promise of substantive equality. Indeed, in terms of our Constitution, the State is committed to respecting, protecting, promoting and fulfilling the rights of small-scale fishers in South Africa.

10 Critics DAFF s focus on small communities and artisanal fisheries has become more directed. For some critics there is concern with regard to the department s promotion of community based rights in inshore fisheries especially to biological scientists and industry analysts. In the words of one analyst: The old system was perverse in many ways, the proposed new one is even more so.

11 Masifundise Trust Benefits of the new policy include the following: The formal recognition of artisanal fishing communities; a move to collective fishing rights, away from the individual quota system that excluded the majority; the demarcation of exclusive fishing zones for small scale fishers, where they will be able to harvest or catch anything throughout the year. The potential for ongoing sustainable income will be considerably enhanced. These zones will be out of bounds for big commercial fishing companies; improved marine resource co-management.

12 General problems lack of clarity regarding policy priorities across the array of legislation relevant to natural resource management, food security and poverty alleviation has resulted in inconsistent implementation (Sowman 2006). Intensified under new regime.

13 Problems The lack of resources (human, financial and technical) allocated to develop, support and manage the subsistence and small-scale fisheries sector in South Africa has further impeded progress (Sowman, 2006). Intensified under new regime.

14 The real problem, however The need to involve other relevant government agencies and NGOs in identifying and providing alternative livelihood opportunities for poor fishers and fishing communities; And to add value locally to marine and other harvested resources: lobster example.

15 Mdumbi Backpackers/Trans-Cape NGO model Community-based Community owned Developmental Co-operative-based Environmentally orientated