The replacement of fishing vessels in South Africa : a case study of West Coast Rock Lobster nearshore fishery.

Abstract

The changing of vessels in the West Coast Rock Lobster nearshore fishery is one of the important issues which need attention within the South African fisheries management, that is, by fisheries authorities and industry (fishing right holders). This is due to the increasing problems regarding frequent vessel changes in the South African fisheries and the consequences in terms of increased fishing capacity. The thesis seeks to find major causes of vessels changes and how often the right holders change their fishing vessels. It further seeks to relate the policies of other fishing nations to gain measures to curb the problem of fishing capacity through the vessel replacement. The data were collected from primary and secondary sources and analyzed by both qualitative and quantitative methods. Various theories of capacity management were used in the study to explain the findings. The findings of this study reveal that transformation in South African fisheries has progressed, and that the fishers have shown development of their enterprise. Fishing nations like Canada and Australia have been used as cases for how to curb the problems. Some of the principles under laying their replacement policies may also be employed in the South African setting. A new and more precise replacement policy is strongly recommended for the South African WCRL fishery.