The Minister of Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, is scheduled to address the Portfolio Committee on Fisheries on 28 August 2012 at 9:30am on her department's plans concerning the allocation of long term fishing rights in 2013 and 2015.
South Africa is set to re-allocate commercial fishing rights in the majority of its 22 commercial fishery sectors in 2013 and again in 2015. Feike has repeatedly warned that the department has not explained what plans and systems are in place to ensure a seamless allocation process which is critical to ensuring stability in the supply of fish products to existing markets, job security and continued investment by right holders.
There is little point in waiting until the very last minute to inform right holders who have now held fishing rights for periods of 8 and 10 years what will be required of them come the next round of quota allocations. This is not supposed to be some lottery. There are huge numbers of jobs and investments at stake. Further, right holders have supply fish to increasingly competitive foreign and domestic markets that rely on supply stability.
The Minister is scheduled to address the portfolio committee at 9:30 am (AND NOT 2PM) at Parliament. The committee venue will be confirmed depending on the level of interest shown by members of the industry and media.
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