2015 KZN Beach Seine Fishery Shows Promise

The prospects for the 2015 KwaZulu-Natal beach seine fishery are looking very promising. The KZN beach seine fishery is a tiny small-scale commercial fishery comprising 24 quota holders. Their 10-year fishing rights are set to expire on 29 February 2016.

The Fisheries Department is currently preparing for the re-allocation of fishing rights in this sector, as well as in 9 other commercial and small-scale commercial fisheries.

The fishery is completely dependent on the annual sardine run - also known as the "Greatest Shoal on Earth" - and sardine shoals coming sufficiently close to shore to be harvested by the crate load.

Quota holders were achieving good prices as at yesterday of R800 / crate. Each crate carries 40kg of sardines.

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