A diagnosis of the status and effectiveness of marine fisheries management in South Africa based on two representative case studies

Effective fisheries management is crucial for ensuring resource sustainability, economic stability and food security for those depending on the fisheries. This study assessed the current state of management in South Africa by examining two case studies: the fisheries for West Coast rock lobster (WCRL) and small pelagic species (SP). The WCRL fishery includes small-scale and larger scale commercial sectors and the resource is valuable and accessible from the shore. The SP fishery is offshore, more capital-intensive, requiring specialized vessels and gear and harvests a lower-value product The methods consisted of a review of available information and structured assessment of stakeholder opinions. Opinions were obtained through specifically-designed questionnaires and sent to stakeholders from diverse perspectives, selected for their broad knowledge and experience with one or both fisheries. The management framework used for the questionnaire has potential for international application in other fisheries, with some adaptation to local circumstances. The results revealed significant differences in overall performance of management of the two fisheries, with that for SP being satisfactory to good but that for WCRL being below the necessary standards overall and across many criteria. Weakest performance in both fisheries was related to Capacity in the management authority and Enforcement and compliance. Stakeholder engagement, socio-economic research, and effective implementation of required management measures were other particular concerns in the WCRL fishery. In the SP fishery, most of the other functions assessed were being performed adequately to well. Management efficiency in both fisheries had decreased over the last five to 10 years.