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More than 10,000 food packages will be delivered to small-scale and emergency relief fishermen across the country.
In a partnership between the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, FishSA, major fishing corporations and the SA Fund for Fisheries Development, small-scale registered fishers on the Cape Town Metro, the West Coast and the North Cape will receive the parcels from Monday.
Over the next week, registered small-scale fishers in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal will receive packages.
Around 1,500 packages have already been distributed to assist fishermen in the Overberg region and the South Cape.
Small-scale fishing communities in the Western Cape were initially affected in January and February of this year during the Covid-19 pandemic in China, when restaurants closed and fishermen were unable to sell West Coast abalone and lobster to their traditional markets.
Consequently, some sections of the fishing industry have felt the impact of the coronavirus longer than other sectors of the economy.
Although fishing has been declared an essential service, the closure of national restaurants has greatly affected small-scale fishers and many are struggling to find a market for their catch.
Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy said: “The generosity of Fish SA, the SA Fisheries Development Fund, as well as several large-scale commercial fishing companies, have made this possible and I want to thank them for take the initiative to help thousands of families in danger. “
The Department has implemented various measures to support the fishing industry, including extension of permits and fishing seasons, as well as block exemptions and travel restrictions.
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