DURBAN - The South Africa Post Office is prepared for a substantial increase in applications for fishing licences this holiday season.
The highest number of fishing licences sold during any month was December 2020, when the SA Post Office sold more than 86 000 fishing licences nationally.
Spokesperson Johan Kruger said the demand for fishing licences is always highest at coastal Post Offices, but many holiday makers from the interior get their fishing licence from their local Post Office before they leave their hometown.
For this reason, all Post Office branches nationally have stocked up on licences.
Kruger said fishing is one of the safest activities during a Covid-19 wave, as it can only take place in the open air and at a reasonable distance from other people.
Kruger said the application process is quick.
The applicant must fill in an application form at the Post Office, which includes the ID number and residential address. Following this, they receive a receipt from the teller that needs to be kept with the licence.
The applicants are reminded to bring an original identity document with them when they apply.
The General Permit Conditions stipulate that the holder should have his identity document available for inspection purposes when using the fishing permit.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) said the marine, coastal and inland ecosystems host a variety of aquatic biological diversity that greatly contributes to the economic, social and cultural aspects of communities around the world.
Fisheries and aquaculture are dependent on this biodiversity which not only is a source of wild-caught fish but also sustains the habitats which serve as feeding, spawning and nursery sites which are essential for wild fish recruitment.
However, DFFE warns, there are currently a number of fisheries that are not sustainably managed and aquaculture operations and practices with significant negative impacts on biodiversity and habitats.
Aichi Biodiversity Target 6, which calls for all fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants to be managed and harvested sustainably, is directly relevant to this sector.
Daily News