Fisherfolk fall on hard times amid lockdown restrictions

THE lockdown regulations could leave more than a thousand fishing community destitute.
While commercial and line fishing has been exempt from regulations, local fisherman are left without a means to an end.

The country’s fishing industry received an exemption from the lockdown after being designated as being vital to the domestic food industry by South Africa’s National Coronavirus Command Council. In a statement, the minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy, said the council exempted the fisheries sector, as well as the harbour, fishing vessels, shipping and docking services from the lockdown conditions. Fisheries in the Western and Northern Cape were recently extended to fishers and communities that had been adversely affected. But where does that leave the fishing community community and the everyday unlicensed fisher in other parts of the country, where there are still restrictions? With the threat of a fine or possible arrest, many have fallen on hard times.

Nolan Manuel from Wentworth has been a fisherman for most of his adult life and is one of the many that have been severely affected by the restrictions imposed on local fisheries. “I usually go out to Treasure Beach and the harbour to fish. I mainly fish at night because that’s when you get the best catch. Fishing is my passion, livelihood and feeds my family. The fishing community is at loss right now and don’t know when things will get better. I last went out to fish in mid-March. My rod has even collected some dust. I don’t know what to do with days. I just sleep, watch TV and hang out with my brothers here in the flats. It has been really hard, I’m literally surviving on the little money I have left,” said Nolan, who lives at the Ogle Road flats.

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