Review. A 20-year History of South Africa’s Commercial Abalone Industry (Part 5 of 7)

Changing hats, changing attitudes, changing minds, and conditions for reinstating the abalone fishery.

In October 2009, President Jacob Zuma met with members of the Hawston fishing community in the Overstrand region. The spin was that he was honouring a promise made during the 2009 election campaign to visit Western Cape fishing communities. He also responded to a task team’s 4-page report on the challenges facing fishermen, the perlemoen sector particularly.

The report compiled in consultation with Overberg fishers, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister, Buyelwa Sonjica, and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, called for the ban to be lifted by February 2010.