Latest news with #DFFE
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Deep sea creature washes ashore in South Africa village, photos show. ‘Very rare'
A sperm whale recently washed up on a beach in South Africa, a strikingly rare occurrence that hasn't happened in recent memory. The massive marine animal stranded in the shallow waters off Langezandt Fisherman's Village — located about 130 miles southeast of Cape Town — on Friday, May 23. Hours later, the whale was discovered dead on the shore, Jean Tresfon, a marine conservation photographer, wrote in a Facebook post. Photos and videos posted by Tresfon show the behemoth lying on its side, partially embedded in the sand. Its mouth was agape — revealing a row of sharp teeth on its lower jaw — and blood could be seen on its scarred head. 'Really sad to see,' Tresfon wrote. A video posted May 23 by the National Sea Rescue Institute, a South African non-profit, shows a whale floundering in the surf zone near the same beach. 'We are in contact with the DFFE Whale Disentanglement unit and at this stage there is nothing we or anyone else can do to assist,' the organization wrote before confirming in a follow-up post that the animal had died. The incident was described as highly unusual. 'Sperm whale strandings in South Africa are very rare,' Tresfon wrote, 'which is unsurprising given that they are deep water whales which are seldom seen close to shore.' Prior to this occurrence, the last documented stranding in South Africa took place in 2018 at Swartvlei Beach — about 215 miles east of Langezandt Fisherman's Village. The largest toothed whale species on Earth, sperm whales are found in deep parts of every ocean, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The animals — which can weigh up to 45 tons — dive up to 2,000 feet deep to hunt squid, sharks and other deep sea dwellers. Threats to the species include entanglements with fishing gear, ocean contaminants and vessel strikes, according to NOAA. And, while the circumstances of this stranding are unusual, cetacean strandings in general are a relatively common occurrence. Globally, an estimated 2,000 whales and dolphins become stranded every year, with the majority being fatal, according to the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, a non-profit.
IOL News
23-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Can SA balance development and conservation? Insights from the National Biodiversity Offset Conference
CEO of SANBI, Shonisani Munzhedzi, DG of DFFE, Noma Tshabalala, Deputy Resident Representative at the UNDP South Africa Country Office, Gloria Kiondo and CEO of SANParks, Hapiloe Sello at the DFFE's environmental conservation conference at the DBSA on May 22, 2025. Image: Supplied, Michael Mokoena DFFE The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) on Thursday embarked on the first day of two-day-long National Biodiversity Offset conference at the Southern African Development Bank (DBSA) in Midrand, Gauteng. This conference was held in collaboration with the DBSA, South African Biodiversity Institute, and aimed to facilitate engagement among stakeholders and communities. During her remarks at the conference, Director General of the DFFE, Nomfundo Tshabalala, said: "We as DFFE, working with our entities, understand that we have to strike a balance between development and conserving the biodiversity and ecosystem of our country." DFFE director General, Noma Tshabalala addressing the DFFE's environmental conservation conference Image: Supplied, Michael Mokoena, DFFE Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Tshabalala emphasised that people, entities, and businesses should follow protocol when dealing with land and the environment to avoid violating the regulations and causing harm to the environment. "We have a website which will show the geographic landscape of South Africa, showing where there is development, and what it is that you're investing in as you develop an area, to ensure that you offset and you don't deplete conservation in that area," Tshabalala remarked The department's spokesperson, Michael Mokoena, said: "Biodiversity offsetting is one of the ways in which South Africa's Protected and Conservation Areas can be expanded, thereby promoting conservation. It also helps to secure ecologically sustainable development as it mitigates the adverse impact of economic and social development on biodiversity." According to the Convention on Biological Diversity, South Africa's biodiversity is in great danger of extinction, with the National Red List assessments indicating that 10% of South Africa's birds and frogs, 20% of mammals, and 13% of plant species are threatened. The DFFE has attributed this to pollution, climate change, global warming, and the expansion of residential and industrial land. The Convention on Biological Diversity warned: "The loss and degradation of South Africa's biodiversity has serious implications for society and the economy. Natural ecosystems provide many essential services, such as the provision of clean water and air, prevention of soil erosion, pollination of crops, provision of medicinal plants, nutrient cycling, provision of food and shelter, as well as meeting spiritual, cultural, aesthetic, and recreational needs." IOL NEWS
IOL News
14-05-2025
- IOL News
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden named among the world's top gardens
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden has been named among the top gardens in the world - an accolade Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Minister Dion George said celebrates South Africa's extraordinary natural heritage and the global significance of this iconic botanical treasure. This is according to a New York Times list, The 25 Gardens You Must See, where they asked six horticultural experts to debate and ultimately choose the places that have changed the way people look at and think about plants. Gardens from 20 countries were nominated, with Italy and the United Kingdom coming out on top; each ended up with five on the final list, followed by France with four.
Daily Maverick
14-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Commercial fishers red-flag looming conflict with small-scale sector amid abalone quota uncertainty, dwindling catches
Commercial permit holders are worried about the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment's proposed plan to give quotas to small-scale fishers. Fishers from Western Cape coastal communities like Hawston, Hermanus, and Gansbaai depend on abalone (perlemoen) for their livelihoods. But those with commercial abalone permits believe their trade could be threatened if a greater share of the limited quota is given to the small-scale fishing sector. Public comment on the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)'s intention to allocate abalone to the small-scale fishing sector opened in the Eastern Cape in February. It is not clear when this process will start in the Western Cape. But there's been no date set yet for consultations over the future of abalone fishing in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, according to DFFE spokesperson Peter Mbelengwa. He added that 'no decision has been made on whether abalone fishing rights will be allocated to the small-scale fishing sector' or what the potential quota would be. Since the early 2000s, about 300 commercial abalone fishers have been allocated abalone fishing rights. When the rights period ended in 2014, these fishers were granted yearly exemption permits, which allowed them to continue diving for abalone according to their quota. Currently, there are about 100 commercial exemption permit holders. This is far fewer than the previous fishing season with about 300 permits, most of whom are from poor communities. The DFFE recently announced the suspension of many of the 300 permits, pending criminal investigations into alleged 'serious offences in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act'. But some fishers who still dive for their quota are worried about the already dwindling number of abalone. The small-scale fishing sector rights took years and were only finalised at the end of 2023, establishing about 62 small-scale fishing cooperatives in the Western Cape, with thousands of small-scale fishers. Losing a lifeline Abalone diver and exemption permit holder from Hermanus, Anton Kruger, said the allowable catch has decreased so much over the years that there'll barely be enough should the small-scale sector be given allocations. Kruger explained how he has seen the resources dwindle underwater over the years. Two years ago, he was given a quota of 10kg to dive in the Hangklip area. After diving for six hours he only caught seven abalone. After spending four hours diving in Kommetjie, he only left with one abalone, he said. Just after the Covid lockdown he went diving at St Helena Bay and couldn't find any abalone, hours later, after three dives. He said he found a patch of abalone and 'filled the quota' there. But when he returned the following year, 'there was nothing'. 'It was gone,' he said. In 2001, the total allowable catch (TAC) was set at 475 tonnes. Fishers like Kruger were allocated a yearly TAC of 300kg. Those without an additional lobster quota had higher TAC amounts of up to 500kg. This TAC decreased over the years as the abalone numbers plummeted. Kruger's current quota is 94kg. At the time, the then Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said that the allocation of abalone rights to the commercial sector aimed to introduce 'a new system of co-management, and to effectively address the threat of the illegal harvesting and over-catching of abalone'. However, the estimated number of poached abalone is much higher than the yearly TAC. TRAFFIC, an illegal wildlife trafficking organisation, estimates that between 2,000 and 2,016 – just more than 2,100 tonnes – abalone are poached per year. More recent figures by TRAFFIC estimate that poached abalone peaked in 2018 with just more than 5,000 tonnes and then saw a drop to about 2,400 tonnes poached in 2022. A commercial exemption permit holder from Hawston, Frederick Fisher, said he is worried about his livelihood if the abalone quota is slashed even further or given to the small-scale sector. After costs such as boats and transport he takes home about R80,000 per year. Perlemoen is the only thing he catches and the only way he makes a living, he said. Fisher, who was born and raised in Hawston, said poaching was rife in his community. 'You can't blame the people. They don't have work,' he said. 'Abalone is in any case on the edge of collapse… If they make the mistake of giving small-scale the abalone,' he said. Another commercial rights holder from Gansbaai, Sammy Brett, blamed socioeconomic circumstances in coastal communities as the root cause of poaching. He added that making arrests was not enough to curb poaching and that it 'shows no humanity towards these people'. Decreasing the abalone TAC could mean an even lower quota for those with permits, he said. Brett said he was sceptical that bringing in the small-scale sector would help to bring fishing communities out of poverty. Small-scale fishing representative organisation, Masifundise, said there is a demand from small-scale fishers to access abalone rights, but they also have 'important concerns' that should be addressed. 'Particularly given that these communities are often excluded from decisions that affect their livelihoods.' The department's Mbelengwa added that the concerns raised by commercial exemption permit holders regarding potential conflict in the fishing community 'are premature and pre-emptive' since the formal consultation process regarding the future of the abalone sector has 'not yet commenced'. He said the department has consistently talked to various fishing sectors, including the abalone permit holders, and that further engagements would take place. DM
Eyewitness News
13-05-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Battle looms over abalone quota
WESTERN CAPE - Fishers from Western Cape coastal communities like Hawston, Hermanus, and Gansbaai depend on abalone (also known as 'perlemoen') for their livelihoods. But those with commercial abalone permits believe their trade could be threatened if a greater share of the limited quota is given to the small-scale fishing sector. Public comment on the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)'s intention to allocate abalone to the small-scale fishing sector opened in the Eastern Cape in February. It is not clear when this process will start in the Western Cape. There's been no date set yet for consultations over the future of abalone fishing in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, according to DFFE spokesperson Peter Mbelengwa. He added that 'no decision has been made on whether abalone fishing rights will be allocated to the small-scale fishing sector' or what the potential quota would be. Since the early 2000s, about 300 commercial abalone fishers have been allocated abalone fishing rights. When the rights period ended in 2014, these fishers were granted yearly exemption permits, which allowed them to continue diving for abalone according to their quota. Currently, there are about 100 commercial exemption permit holders. This is far less than the previous fishing season when there were about 300 permit holders, most of whom are from poor communities. The DFFE recently announced the suspension of many of the 300 permits, pending criminal investigations into alleged 'serious offences in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act'. Some fishers who still dive for their quota are worried about the dwindling number of abalone. The small-scale fishing sector rights took years and were only finalised at the end of 2023, establishing about 62 small-scale fishing cooperatives in the Western Cape, with thousands of small-scale fishers. Losing a lifeline Abalone diver and exemption permit holder from Hermanus, Anton Kruger, said the allowable catch had decreased so much over the years that there would barely be enough if the small-scale sector is given allocations. Kruger said he had seen the resource dwindle over the years. Two years ago, in the Hangklip area, after diving for six hours, he only caught seven abalone. After spending four hours diving in Kommetjie, he only left with one abalone, he said. Soon after, he went diving at St Helena Bay and couldn't find any abalone, hours later, after three dives. He said he found a patch of abalone and 'filled the quota' there. But when he returned the following year, 'there was nothing'. 'It was gone,' he said. In 2001, the total allowable catch (TAC) was set at 475 tons. Fishers like Kruger were allocated a yearly TAC of 300kg. Those without an additional lobster quota had higher TAC amounts of up to 500kg. This TAC decreased over the years as the abalone numbers plummeted. Kruger's current annual quota is 94kg. At the time, the then-Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said that the allocation of abalone rights to the commercial sector aimed to introduce 'a new system of co-management, and to effectively address the threat of the illegal harvesting and over-catching of abalone'. However, the estimated number of poached abalone is much higher than the yearly TAC. TRAFFIC, an organisation which monitors wildlife trafficking, estimates that between 2000 and 2016 just over 2,100 tons of abalone were poached per year. More recent figures by TRAFFIC estimated that poached abalone peaked in 2018 with just over 5,000 tons and then saw a drop to about 2,400 tons poached in 2022. Commercial exemption permit holder from Hawston, Frederick Fisher, said he is worried about his livelihood if the abalone quota is slashed even further or given to the small-scale sector. After paying costs like boats and transport, he takes home about R80,000 per year. Perlemoen is the only thing he catches and the only way he makes a living, he said. Fisher, who was born and raised in Hawston, said that poaching was rife in his community. 'You can't blame the people. They don't have work,' he said. 'Abalone is in any case on the edge of collapse … If they make the mistake of giving small-scale the abalone,' he said. Another commercial rights holder from Gansbaai, Sammy Brett, blamed socio-economic circumstances in coastal communities as the root cause for poaching. He said making arrests was not enough to curb poaching and 'shows no humanity towards these people'. Decreasing the abalone TAC could mean even less quota for those with permits, he said. Brett said that he was sceptical that bringing in the small-scale sector would help to bring fishing communities out of poverty. Small-scale fishing representative organisation, Masifundise, said there is a demand from small-scale fishers to access abalone rights, but they also have 'important concerns' that should be addressed. 'Particularly given that these communities are often excluded from decisions that affect their livelihoods.' The department's Mbelengwa added that the concerns raised by commercial exemption permit holders regarding potential conflict in the fishing community 'are premature and pre-emptive' as the formal consultation process about the future of the abalone sector has 'not yet commenced'. He said that the department has consistently talked to various fishing sectors, including the abalone permit holders, and that further engagements would take place. This article first appeared on GroundUp. Read the original article here.
