Minister Dr Dion George finalises appeals in Hake Longline sector

30 July 2025

• Minister Dr Dion George has finalised the reconsideration of 18 remitted appeals in the Hake Longline sector, concluding a long-standing dispute over fishing rights.  

• The decision supports the administration’s priorities: equitable distribution of fishing rights, inclusion of new entrants, job creation and inclusive economic growth. 

• The process adhered to court orders and the Marine Living Resources Act, ensuring both lawful and sustainable use of marine resources.

The long-running dispute over fishing rights in the Hake Longline (HLL) sector has been resolved. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has finalized the reconsideration of 18 remitted appeals, an important milestone toward equitable rights allocation and the inclusion of new entrants. This outcome reflects the administration’s commitment to efficiency, job creation and inclusive economic growth.

“In making my decision, I considered the court orders in full and ensured complete compliance. I was also guided by the objectives of the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA), which promotes the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources while supporting economic growth,” said Minister George.

The reconsideration of these remitted appeals stem from decisions made by former Minister, Ms Barbara Creecy, who finalised the original appeals on 4 November 2023. 18 entities challenged those outcomes in the Western Cape High Court. Settlement agreements required the new Minister to reassess and rescore the appeals, provide appellants with access to external information relied upon, and publish provisional decisions for public comment before finalising the allocations. The process was required to conclude by 30 July 2025 to enable successful appellants to begin fishing on 1 August 2025.

All aspects of the court orders have been met. The Minister released his Provisional General Published Reasons (GPR) for the reconsideration of the remitted appeals under the Fishing Right Allocation Process (FRAP) 2021/2022, inviting stakeholders to make representations on various options concerning the allocation of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC). The comment period drew significant engagement, with 50 entities submitting detailed inputs for consideration.

After evaluating all submissions, the Minister has now issued his final decision on the allocation of rights and TAC in the Hake Longline sector. These decisions are detailed in the General Published Reasons Pertaining to the Reconsideration of the Remitted Appeals in the Hake Longline Sector, which may be accessed here.

The Minister noted that although more entities qualified for rights in the sector, the overall TAC available has not increased. “As a result, allocations per right holder must decrease. Still, I aimed to stabilise the sector by ensuring that each right holder receives a meaningful portion of the available catch,” he explained.

Minister George reaffirmed his commitment to sustainable and responsible management of South Africa’s hake resources. He added that the Department is focused on improving future allocation processes under the FRAP by strengthening policies, improving socio-economic analysis, refining the scoring system, verifying right-holder information, and initiating the rights revocation process under section 28 MLRA, where necessary.

“My goal is to improve the next FRAP process, building a more formalised, sustainable sector with a stable base of right holders aligned with the objectives of the MLRA,” Minister George concluded.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Thobile Zulu-Molobi
Mobile: +27 82 513 7154 
E-mail: tmolobi@dffe.gov.za  

Chelsey Wilken
Mobile: +27 74 470 5996 
E-mail: cwilken@dffe.gov.za