Law enforcement strategy curbs poaching

Four months after a preventive enforcement plan was launched, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism says the number of reported abalone confiscations in the Eastern Cape has decreased. The department spokesperson, John Louw says in November last year more than 50-thousand abalone were confiscated from poachers before the introduction of the new strategy. By the end of December, this number had been decreased to about 7-thousand abalone. Louw says the combined figure of abalone seized for January and Febuary is at just over three thousand. Vessels and equipment valued at 1-point-5-million rands was impounded and illegally caught fish stock with a similar value was also recovered.