Festival celebrates all-things ocean on lower South Coast
The event celebrated small-scale fisheries, sustainable seafood and coastal culture with numerous activities.
Options for a sustainable and co-managed fishing future were reeled in at the Coastal Flavours Seafood Festival on the lower South Coast last weekend.
Narend Singh, the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, who hails from Umkomaas, engaged with fisherfolk, introduced aquaponics and supported cleaner coasts.
Singh emphasised the critical need for fishing sustainability and explained the concept of ‘no fish means no future’.
“We must respect seasonal closures, protected areas and quotas,” he said. “The ocean is on loan from our children.”
Ten small-scale fishing cooperatives presented their challenges and solutions directly to Singh, raising issues such as market access and infrastructure.
In response, he committed to returning in September to report back on progress and outlined support from partner agencies for training, compliance and funding.
The cooperatives were introduced to aquaponics as an alternative livelihood option and attended a litter boom demonstration, where two booms were handed to the mayor of Port St Johns, Cebisa Sanna Mazuza.
Singh also announced that selected cooperatives will join the Working for the Coast programme to maintain and service the booms.
The festival celebrated small-scale fisheries, sustainable seafood and coastal culture with numerous activities.
The day concluded with a fishing competition, where the deputy minister handed prizes to the winners, celebrating responsible fishing practices and coastal heritage.
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