Coast KZN

State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
Chapter 9: Governance Environment Chapter 10: Conclusions
The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Coastal and Marine Species Migrations The Human Dimension Socio-Economic Uses of the Coast Commercial Resource Uses
Pressures and Threats Management of the Coastal and Marine Environments Understanding our Coast
Coastal access
Coastal access

Access RoutesBoat Launch SitesThe Human DimensionCoastal Access: Stats & Facts
Estuaries
Estuaries

What is an Estuary? Know your Estuaries Estuary Health and Conservation KZN Estuary Observer Programme
Historical Time Series Estuary Mouth Status Sand Mining
Recreation
Recreation

Fish TaggingAccess RoutesBlue Flag Beaches
Coastal risk and vulnerability
Coastal risk and vulnerability

Coastal Risk LinesExtreme EventsCoastal ErosionKZN Coastal Vulnerability IndexPollution
Coastal issues
Coastal issues

PollutionSand MiningCoastal ErosionNurdlesUPL Chemical Spill
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19 Nov 2020

Casting a spotlight on the exclusion of subsistence fishers

Nothando Mthembu (Southlands Sun) Picture: One of the book's researchers and authors Kira Erwin, who together with Jackie Sunder, compiled Cast Out: The Systematic Exclusion of the KwaZulu-Natal Subsistence Fishers from the Fishing Rights Regime in South Africa, where they highlight the division and exclusion of the existing fishing policies.

The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) and the KZN Subsistence Fisherfolk Forum launched its latest literary offering, Cast Out: The Systematic Exclusion of the KwaZulu-Natal Subsistence Fishers from the Fishing Rights Regime in South Africa on Wednesday, 11 November.

The announcement that South Africa would go into a nationwide lockdown, like many countries across the world, led to outcry from the poor of South Africa who live from hand to mouth. SDCEA decided to document the discussions of Covid-19 and the injustices of the past on fishers of KZN. The book delves deep into the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on local subsistence fishers who struggled to make ends meet, especially during level five. Researchers Jackie Sunder and Kira Erwin compiled the book, where they highlight the division and exclusion of the existing fishing policies. The book also makes recommendations for a policy review.

“For the thousands of fishers who have been excluded from the small scale fisher’s cooperatives in KZN, the lockdown level five regulations were a harsh blow. These fishers once again found themselves cast out, at sea. Unable to fish to feed their families, many were desperate. The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries approached the National Command Council, and commercial fishing and small-scale fishing were declared ‘emergency services’, exempting these fishers from sections of the lockdown regulations and enabling these fisheries sectors to continue to fish. However because the subsistence fishers of KZN do not fall under the small scale fishers cooperative, they are not recognised as small scale/subsistence fishers, rather as recreational fishers and therefore could not fish ,” said SDCEA’s Sherelee Odayar.

Odayar further explained that the Covid-19 lockdown has put a spotlight on the exclusion of thousands of fisherfolk. “It has exposed an exclusionary approach to subsistence fishers in KZN that denies their constitutional right to food security, to their culture and to redress for past injustices,” she said.

A soft copy of the full book is available on www.sdcea.co.za

 

 

Online Article