Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism happy with the courts decision

By Rhodé Marshall
22 March 2008

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism says that they are happy with the courts decision to dismiss an application by a group of Abalone rights holders.

The group wanted to overturn the decision taken to suspend fishing in the commercial abalone fishery.

In a statement sent by the department it states that the group was ordered by the Cape High Court to pay the legal fees of Minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk.

In 2007 the department was supported by cabinet to suspend wild abalone commercial fishing as an attempt to preserve the species.

“We remain of the view that the abalone resource is in a crisis due to ecological changes and poaching. As stated previously, the closure of the abalone fishery is the right thing to do.There is also broad acknowledgement that the resource is in a crisis," says Department spokesperson Mava Scott.

Scott adds that suspending fishing is difficult as this has an influence on the livelihood of many people and families in the industry.

“We are unfortunately at a point where the commercial harvesting of wild abalone can no longer be justified because the stock has declined to such an extent that the resource is threatened with commercial extinctions.”