Invitation to comment on draft updated policies on the allocation and management of rights to operate fish processing establishments and the transfer of commercial fishing rights

On 01 November 2024, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, published a notice in the Government Gazette inviting the public to comment on the draft policies on the allocation and management of rights to operate a fish processing establishment and the transfer of commercial fishing rights (collectively the draft policies).

The draft policies seek to guide the minister or delegated authority in the exercise of their powers to grant a right to operate a fish processing establishment in terms of section 18 of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (MLRA) and to guide decision-making in relation to the transfer of a commercial fishing right in terms of section 21 of the MLRA, respectively. The draft policies have been updated and reviewed to provide clarity and address implementation challenges.

Interested and affected parties are invited to submit written comment on this draft FPE Policy, the draft Transfer Policy in the manner provided for in this notice. 

Consultations on the proposed draft policies will take place on areas, venues and dates as reflected below:

Download schedule by area [PDF]

» KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape 

» Northern Cape and Western Cape

» Western Cape, Garden Route, South Coast and Eastern Cape

Inland provinces and interested parties below:

• 01 Nov 24: Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998): draft Policy on Allocation and Management of Rights to Operate Fish Processing Establishments and the draft Policy for Transfer of Commercial Fishing Rights [G 51499 – Gon 5504] [PDF - 808 kb]