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For the first time ever, it now seems certain that the South African fisheries and environmental affairs ministry will be led by the Democratic Alliance.  I have previously written about what should happen IF the DA was to assume leadership of this ministry. Read that here .  It now looks certain that this will happen.  Sadly, a repeat of the clean-out of the corrupt and incompetent - similar to what happened in 1999/2000 - will be needed. The fisheries branch in particular will need to be re-constituted and re-engineered to ensure that it is able to grow our commercial fisheries sector; serve the fishing industry and fishing communities along our coast and protect our marine ecology from mining and unchecked illegal fishing.   The next week will be an important one for SA fisheries and environmental affairs. 

Will South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries & Environment get a minister from the official opposition, Democratic Alliance, party?  South African fisheries management is in a depressed state and requires serious and substantial re-invigoration. What governance aspects and fisheries management areas should a new minister focus on in the first 100 days of office? These are my suggestions: 1.    New fisheries development and innovation: Lift the ill-advised moratorium on new fisheries development and urgently address the bureaucratic and unnecessarily complicated application to develop and innovate our fisheries. In short, the objective must be to ENCOURAGE expansion of our commercial fisheries and the size of the commercial TAC. And where existing right holders seek to invest in fisheries growth and innovation, make provision for levy rebates.  2.    FRAP Litigation: There are numerous cases still outstanding from FRAP 2016. These need to be res...

 In a review application involving traditional line fishers set to be heard before the Western Cape High Court this month, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Barbara Creecy, states on oath that fishing rights are considered to be property rights and that these rights cannot be revoked or cancelled as that would amount to a violation of section 24 of the Constitution.  The Minister's attempt at framing fishing rights as property is convenient in that particular matter but it will certainly harm her interests in the various other review matters she is presently facing, most particularly her own "self-review" matter in the hake inshore trawl fishing sector. But members of fishing industry may want to interrogate this change of view by the Minister which effectively recognises your fishing rights as property rights no longer capable of "expropriation" without compensation as provided for in section 24 of the Constitution.  WC High Court Case: 17507...