No More Exploitation: A Call to Action!

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”

ALBERT EINSTEIN

The Crisis of Inaction

South Africa’s coastal waters, from Port St. John to Saldanha Bay, are home to five unique species of perlemoen, known locally as perlemoen. These marine treasures symbolize the country’s rich biodiversity. Yet, due to neglect and mismanagement, rampant poaching now threatens them with extinction. The inactivity of past governments has driven this environmental crisis, and urgent change is needed.

Unraveling the Fisheries Crisis

Once thriving, South African abalone fisheries began declining in the late 20th century due to overfishing and illegal poaching. Despite the evident danger, past governments were slow to act. Initial regulations like catch restrictions and closed seasons were poorly enforced. Organized crime syndicates worsened the problem, smuggling vast amounts of illegally harvested abalone to international markets, especially East Asia.

Operation Neptune’s Shortcomings

In 1998, Operation Neptune aimed to combat abalone poaching through a multi-agency approach. Unfortunately, it suffered from inconsistent implementation and inadequate resources. The 2003 establishment of the first environmental court was promising, but its closure in 2005 due to funding issues highlighted the government’s lack of commitment to sustained environmental protection.

Reactive Policies, Not Solutions

Between 2007 and 2010, policy shifts included listing abalone in Appendix III of CITES and temporarily closing the commercial fishery. These measures sought to curb illegal exports and allow stock recovery. However, delisting abalone from CITES in 2010 due to compliance issues and reopening the fishery revealed a pattern of reactive governance. The lack of a long-term strategy to address poaching became clear.

Illegal Trade Flourishes

Despite efforts, the government’s intermittent actions couldn’t match the growing threat of poachers. The illegal trade thrived, driven by high demand and corrupt practices. The illicit abalone trade, worth ZAR 628 million annually, highlighted the need for a strong, sustained response.

Government Acknowledgment

In 2018, the cessation of legal sales of confiscated abalone following attacks on storage facilities showed the government recognizing the issue’s severity. However, piecemeal efforts aren’t enough. A comprehensive and strategic overhaul is needed to tackle abalone poaching effectively.

A Call for Comprehensive Action

Protecting South Africa’s abalone and their ecosystems requires a multifaceted approach. This includes strict enforcement of regulations, international cooperation to dismantle poaching networks, and significant investment in conservation. Community engagement and alternative livelihoods for those dependent on illegal poaching are crucial to ensuring local populations become active stewards of marine conservation.

Learning from Past Failures

The failures of past governments have allowed a crisis to unfold. Current and future administrations must learn from these mistakes and implement decisive, sustained actions to protect South Africa’s natural heritage. Only through comprehensive and proactive measures can we secure a future where abalone and their ecosystems thrive once more.

Today, the new national minister for fisheries, forestry and environment , announced his plans to increase and expand conservation estates on the DA’s Instagram page. We at the Perlemoen in Peril Association, believe more than this must be done to protect our perlemoen from foreign interest.

PIPA

Sources

“Empty Shells: An assessment of abalone poaching and trade from southern Africa”: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. (2018). Empty Shells: An assessment of abalone poaching and trade from southern Africa.

“Global Organized Crime Index – 2023”: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. (2023). Global Organized Crime Index – 2023.