Overview
The ABALOBI Struisbaai Traditional Linefish Community-level Fishery Improvement Project is based in the small-scale fishing community of Struisbaai on South Africa’s south coast. The community is home to a small, but vital traditional line fishery, that targets, amongst other species, Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) for commercial and subsistence purposes.
Yellowtail stock structure has not been investigated in detail around South Africa, but research conducted in other areas suggests that localized structure may exist. For the present we assume a single stock exists off the coast of South Africa. Annual catch averages ~200 tonnes (t) by Struisbaai Traditional Linefish vessels, 481 t for all of South African line fishery from 2015-2017 (landings vary by as much as 540 t each year).
Fishing is conducted using traditional handline methods from small craft. As of April 2020, the fleet includes 12 “chukkies”, of which 9 are currently operational, and 1 “ski boat.” Chukkies are traditional wooden deck fishing boats with inboard diesel engines (vessel length 7.5 m to 9.8 m, crew of 7 to 10). Ski boats are commercial planing-hull or displacement-hull boats with twin outboard engines (vessel length 6 m to 8.3 m, crew of 6 to 11 people).
Vessels are privately owned, belonging to skippers, who have recently agreed to participate the establishment of an association, provisionally named the Struisbaai Traditional Linefishers Association (STLFA).
Key stakeholders in the FIP include skippers, crew, post-harvest quality control workers, fish cleaners, logistics workers, and local shore harvesters.
The ABALOBI Struisbaai Traditional Linefish Community-level Fishery Improvement Project is based in the small-scale fishing community of Struisbaai on South Africa’s south coast.
The ABALOBI Community-level Fishery Improvement Project in the Struisbaai traditional Yellowtail line fishery in South Africa, is based on a triple-bottom-line assessment covering social, environmental, and financial risk assessments of the Struisbaai traditional Yellowtail line fishery. Environmental objectives are as follows:
By December 2025, the FIP will address the following environmental objectives:
1. Collect data to evaluate impacts on non-target species:
- In collaboration with relevant authorities, review existing data collection protocols and information that would be useful for management.
- Collaborate with fishers on data input processes and develop appropriate data fields in the ABALOBI Fisher app as needed.
- Work with fishers to implement data collection.
- Evaluate fishery impacts on non-target species, including ETP (endangered, threatened or protected) species.
- Develop and deploy survey focusing on ETP species interactions and fish handling.
- Electronic observer program piloted.
- Analyze data, review protocols and suggest adaptations as needed. Share information back to fishers.
- Continue monitoring fishery impacts on non-target species.
2. Develop a harvest strategy that is equitable with respect to the needs of different user groups and that sustainably manages their collective impact on target fish stocks:
- Consult with DFFE (Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment) officials and working groups, as well as Struisbaai fishers, to benchmark and understand existing harvest strategies and governance requirements. Clarify the triggers in the management process for adjusting fishing effort in response to stock status (implemented harvest strategy)
- Develop and implement an STLFA harvest strategy that manages impacts of different user groups in a more precautionary and sustainable manner.
- Build communication channels to support active engagement of STLFA with DFFE on agreed local Struisbaai harvest strategy.
3. Establish and strengthen the Struisbaai Traditional Linefishers' Association:
- Develop a constitution for the Struisbaai Traditional Linefishers Association (STLFA) that is transparent, inclusive, and equitable. The Association’s transparency with members and fishers in the community will be important to ensuring the community supports the Association.
- Finalize and file paperwork for the STLFA to become a legal entity (voluntary association), which will allow the association to enter into binding agreements as a group.
FIP at a Glance
| 4% | 7% | 25% | 64% |
This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
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