The South African government has put a temporary stop to commercial fishing for anchovy and sardine in some areas around major penguin colonies. This, as sardine stocks in South African waters are at historically low levels and conservationists believe that competition for food is partly to blame for the decline of the African penguin population.
Although the new rule has been valid since the beginning of September, the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment released a statement on Friday (16 September 2022) to turn the public’s attention to the temporary closure.
In its statement, the department said that its decision followed “prolonged negotiations” with seabird conservation groups and representatives of the pelagic (midwater) fishing industry.
Even though fishers and conservationists reportedly had different views on the issue, the department believed a temporary ban on commercial fishing to be the best decision to support South Africa’s penguin populations.
“During the negotiations, both sectors were committed to discussions and offered meaningful contributions from insights into the fishing industry and conservation science,” the department said.
“The department has thanked the pelagic fishing industry and conservation organisations and their representatives for contributing to these discussions.”
Scientists to step in
The closures will be temporary while an international scientific panel reviews recently gathered scientific data on fishing and penguin colonies.
“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,” the department said. “Both sectors have committed to abiding by the recommendations of the international panel.”
Apart from competition for food, shipping traffic and the associated noise and vibrations, pollution, and degradation of nesting habitats also contribute to dwindling penguin populations, the department added.
The African penguin species is endemic to South Africa and Namibia and has decreased from more than a million breeding pairs to just about ten thousand pairs over the last century.
The department said that forestry, fisheries, and environment minister Barbara Creecy will soon release a gazette calling for nominations to serve on the international review panel.
The terms of reference for the review and panel members were established in consultation with representatives from the fishing and bird conservation sectors.
The limitations will be valid until 14 January 2023 and include defined areas around Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island. Purse seine fishing (using large nets on schools of pelagic fish) is also not permitted in False Bay, which hosts the Boulders Beach penguin population.
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