Fisheries and the ocean economy

Deep-sea trawling, hake, Operation Phakisa, rock lobster, sardines, pilchards, abalone, squid, tuna, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing

Introduction

Our oceans cover nearly three-quarters of the earth’s surface, and produce more than half the oxygen in the atmosphere. Some 97% of our water is here. It is a major influence on weather systems and home of a vast array of marine life – from whales to phytoplankton. Over 3 billion people depend on fish as part of their diet, and about 600 million livelihoods “depend at least partially on fisheries and aquaculture” (FAO, 2022, cited by the World Bank, 2023).

This chapter is in the “Issues” section for a simple reason: our oceans are in crisis. They have been mismanaged, or at best, not been managed at all, having been overfished and altered by pollution.

The 14th of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiated by UN member states is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” (UN, 2015).

Measures that will turn the tide, so to speak, include:

  • The setting of quotas on the amount of fish caught. Fish stocks are being taken from the oceans at unsustainable levels.
  • Adopting measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. It reduces fish stocks, lowers local catches and harms the marine environment.
  • Establishing networks of marine parks/ocean sanctuaries in which/near which activities like building and mining are prohibited.

Find updates on progress (or lack thereof) in the articles under the “Websites and publications” heading.

Take a minute to think about the oceans

International business environment

Find the latest annual edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) at www.fao.org.

The OECD Review of Fisheries 2025 is available at www.oecd.org

The objective of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) is that by 2030 30% of the land and 30% of the sea is designated as protected areas (commonly known as 30X30).

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea lays out the rules of how far out a nation’s zone of influence extends beyond its shores. About two-thirds of the world’s oceans lie beyond national jurisdiction, and up to now there was no treaty protecting the “high seas”. In 2023, after nearly two decades of negotiations, 193 nations agreed on a High Seas Treaty at the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in 2022, marked “a major step forward for ocean sustainability by prohibiting harmful fisheries subsidies, which are a key factor in the widespread depletion of the world’s fish stocks”.

Find international articles and updates under the last heading on this page.

 

Africa

Some articles …

Local business environment

  • Fish stocks status indicates that almost 70% of South Africa’s marine fishery resources are considered not to be of concern (being of unknown, abundant or optimal status), while 31% are of concern (being of depleted or heavily depleted status) (DFFE, 2026).
  • Poaching, specifically of rock lobster and abalone, remains a threat.
  • Find the articles under the “Websites and publications” heading further down this page.

Small-scale fisheries

Livelihoods and food security in South Africa’s coastal provinces are intimately connected to small-scale fisheries. How does one balance restorative justice for communities discriminated against before 1994, be fair to established fishing companies and keep in mind sustainability levels? The Policy for the Small-Scale Fisheries Sector in South Africa (SSF policy) and the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA) and its Amendment Act provide the framework to achieve transformation whilst looking after the country’s marine resources.

ABALOBI, “small-scale fisher” in isiXhosa, is the name given to the mobile app suite which aims to enable small-scale fishing communities to be incorporated into information and resource networks, which include fishery monitoring, maritime safety, local development and market opportunities. Restaurants source a diversity of fish directly from small-scale fishers through the ABALOBI MARKETPLACE app, and this significantly increases a fairer price for fish sold by small-scale fishers. See https://abalobi.info.

 

Further reference:

National strategy and government contacts

The Oceans Economy Master Plan (OEMP) is “to advance stabilisation revival and growth of the sub-sectors within the ocean economy to ensure increased contribution to job creation, GDP, economic recovery and potential growth” (DFFE, 2023a; PMG, 2023a).

Further reference:

Government role players

  • Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) www.dffe.gov.za Find “Oceans and Coasts” under “Branches” on the website.

Role players

Business Listings

The following business listings are provided for informational purposes only. Agribook does not endorse or guarantee any of the listed businesses, their products, or services.

Further reference:

Associations

  • Fish South Africa is an umbrella body that includes among its members companies like Premier Fishing, I&J and Ocean Fishing. Associations affiliated to Fish SA are: South African Squid Management Industrial Association (SASMIA), South Coast Rock Lobster Industry Association (SCRLIA), West Coast Rock Lobster Association (WCRLA), South East Coast Inshore Fishing Association (SECIFA), South African Deep-Sea Trawling Industry Association (SADSTIA), South African Hake Longline Association (SAHLLA), South African Midwater Trawl Association (SAMTA), South African Tuna Association (SATA), Large Pelagic Small Medium & Micro Enterprises Association (LPSMME), South Africa Tuna Longline Association (SATLA) and South African Patagonian Toothfish Industry Association (SAPTIA).

Training and research

Companies involved

  • Some consultants can help with accessing the different financial incentives from government for Aquaculture Development and Enhancement Programme (ADEP)

Websites and publications

Visit the websites listed earlier on this page.

Some articles

INTERNATIONAL

Some articles …

Table of Contents

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