Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning A
What (a) were the trends in abalone poaching and the fight against abalone poaching over the last two years, and particularly since the implementation of travel restrictions linked to the hard lockdown to fight the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of March 2020, and (b)(i) is the response of the national government to the illegal poaching of abalone and (ii) is the efficacy of this?
- The trends in abalone poaching over the last two years reveals that the levels rose and peaked in September 2019. Between September 2019 and April 2020, the fight against abalone poaching gained traction in that government agencies launched a concerted effort to prevent and destabilise poaching, particularly in the Overberg Region. These anti-poaching interventions included Phakisa Operations and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Poseidon Operations in partnership with local enforcement units from the South African Police Service and CapeNature. These interventions proved to be highly successful in reducing poaching levels as well as the general crime rate in the area of operation.
Since April 2020, COVID-19 Disaster Management Alert Levels 5 and 4 regulations played a significant role in preventing poaching efforts as enforcement agencies were able to prevent divers in vehicles accessing the ocean by implementing roadblocks and vehicle check points and as a result poaching levels dropped further. COVID-19 Disaster Management Alert Levels 3 and 2 allowed more road travel and despite continued compliance and enforcement efforts, poaching levels rose again.
- i) The national government responds to illegal poaching of abalone through Phakisa Operations and SANDF Poseidon Operations. The national Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries forms part of these operations.
ii) The efficacy of the response to the illegal poaching of abalone fluctuates as anti-poaching operations are based on resource availability. Anti-poaching operations are time-based over a period of days. Poaching levels escalate once these short operations are completed. In order to increase efficacy levels, a continued presence of compliance and enforcement staff and units in affected areas is required.
