The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has declared certain areas around the major penguin colonies as closed to commercial fishing for anchovy and sardine.
This took effect on September 1. 2022.
The restrictions come after extensive negotiations with seabird conservation groups and the pelagic fishing industry representatives.
The department said in that “while these closures do not represent a consensus position between the two sectors, the department is of the view that this is the best decision we can take at this stage to support penguin populations”.
Both parties were devoted to the negotiations throughout and provided useful insights into the fishing industry and conservation research. The pelagic fishing industry, conservation organisations, and their representatives were commended by the department for their contributions to the discussions.
The DFFE said the temporary closures would allow for an “international scientific panel to be set up to review all related science output over recent years. The review will advise the department on the value of fishing limitations for penguins’ success, as well as the impacts such limitations will have on the fishing industry.”
Both sectors have committed to abiding by the recommendations of the international panel. The minister will shortly release a gazette calling for nominations to serve on the international review panel.
The sardine stock in South African waters continues to be at historically low levels. Competition for food is thought to be one among a set of pressures that are contributing to the decline of the African penguin population.
Other factors negatively affecting penguin colonies include shipping traffic and the associated noise and vibrations, pollution and degradation of suitable nesting habitats through historic removal of guano (accumulated droppings) and coastal commercial and residential developments.
African penguins, endemic to South Africa and Namibia, have decreased dramatically from more than a million breeding pairs 100 years ago to just about 10 000 pairs today.
The Terms of Reference for the science review and the panel members were established in consultation with the representatives from the fishing and bird conservation sectors.
The interim fishing limitations will be in effect from September 1, 2022 to January 14, 2023 and include defined areas around Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island.
These represent the remaining locations of the larger penguin colonies. Purse seine fishing is also not permitted in False Bay which hosts the resident Boulders Beach penguin population.
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