Durban - Fishermen have begun trickling back to the Durban coastline as the ban on recreational fishing during the Covid-19 lockdown was lifted.
Desmond D'Sa the spokesman for the KwaZulu-Natal Subsistence Fishing Forum said he conducted an in loco inspection along several beaches in Durban on Wednesday. He inspected Ansteys Beach, Brighton Beach, North Pier in Durban Harbour, Addington Beach, Snake Park Pier and Blue Lagoon.
He noted a gradual increase in recreational fishing.
“There have been meetings with MEC Nomsa Dube-Ncube including Members of Parliament to assist with lifting of the fishing ban. We wrote to president Cyril Ramaphosa and to the Premier’s office to find a solution and win win situation. Those reliant on fishing as a form of income were going hungry. The ban on a select group of fisher folk had a knock on effect to their families, D'Sa said.
The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy said last week: “All fishing, including recreational fishing, is permitted with the exception of charter fishing. Fishers must ensure they have a valid permit. All regulations relating to social distancing, health protocols, movement and the prohibition of groups and gatherings apply.”
Inkatha Freedom Party spokesperson on Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries, Narend Singh, welcomed Creecy’s announcement.
“The IFP was strongly against the prohibition of subsistence fishing (which falls under recreational fishing in terms of existing legislation) under all previous levels as it removed food from the tables of people who have, for generations, relied on fishing to survive. While the IFP welcomes these developments, as they secure the survival of an already vulnerable group in our society, the party will continue to fight for the recognition of subsistence fishers as a stand-alone group deserving of protection under our legislation and human rights instruments,” Singh said.