South Africa: Van Schalkwyk Eases Up On Cape Diving Ban

Ally · 01-29-2008, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Environment Affairs Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has in the face of a barrage of protest modified his restrictions on diving in Cape waters, and they will become official on Friday at the same time as a total ban on abalone fishing.

Early last month, Van Schalkwyk announced that, as part of the plan to ensure the survival of wild abalone (perlemoen), diving would be outlawed completely at three Cape islands and on two parts of Western Cape's coast.

In response to his call for public comment, there was a chorus of protest, particularly from commercial diving firms and recreational divers.

Van Schalkwyk said yesterday the original plan was to ban diving at Robben Island, Dyer Island and Bird Island as well as two coastal areas, from Gansbaai to Quoin Point and at Cape Point.

As a result of public comment, he has softened this proposal by allowing shore-based diving at Cape Point, but the diving ban in the other areas will be enforced.

"The proposal for a diving ban is an essential component of our strategy to protect abalone in certain key areas where the stock is most likely to recover. The proposed areas were also assessed in terms of their importance to recreational users, in particular scuba divers and scuba diving businesses, spear fishers and recreational west coast rock lobster fishers.

"After carefully considering a total ban on diving at Cape Point, and after discussions between MCM (Marine and Coastal Management) and SANParks, we have decided on only limited restrictions in this area.

"Diving will therefore still be allowed at Cape Point, but is restricted to only shore-based diving and only within the access times of the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park. This concession at Cape Point will be subject to ongoing satisfactory compliance in that area," he said.

Van Schalkwyk announced that people wishing to participate in scientific research and monitoring, great white shark-cage diving, commercial kelp harvesting, sea ranching, salvage operations, the maintenance of legal underwater infrastructure or any other activity authorised in terms of legislation "can apply for a permit to engage in diving or be in possession of prohibited gear in the listed areas".

Emphasising that the diving restrictions would coincide with the emergency suspension of all abalone fishing at the beginning of next month, Van Schalkwyk pointed out again that in the past 10 years the total allowable catch for abalone had been reduced annually from 615 tons in 1995 to a record low of 125 tons for the 2006-07 season and a record emergency low of 75 tons for 2007-08.

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