Time to Increase Punching Power to Stop Poaching

The collapse of Abalone (Haliotis midae) and West Coast Rock Lobster (Jasus lalandii) is looming. While international crime syndicates feast on the tardiness of the government and law enforcement agencies to take a tougher stance, it might just be that international pressure will force the issue.

Hennie Van As is a Professor in the Department of Public Law and Director of the FishFORCE Academy at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. He says in his Crime Quarterly 69 / 2020 report that the South African government and law enforcement agencies are not using the full power of the law to address the problem of poaching of marine living resources.

This is particularly relevant to abalone. Poaching of this resource is now recognised as a priority crime but despite this, insufficient resources have been allocated commensurate with the value of the commodity.