Policy on the Allocation and Management of Rights to Operate Fish Processing Establishments: 2015 (No. 1138 of 2015).

This policy concerns the allocation and management of rights to operate fish processing establishments (FPE's). In terms of section 18 of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (MLRA), no person shall operate an FPE unless a right to do so has been granted by the Minister. By regulating the operation of FPEs, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries seeks to curb the processing of fish that has been caught in contravention of the MLRA, without necessarily resulting in unintended consequences or causing difficulties with the enforcement of the MLRA. These proposed exemptions will also be monitored to ensure that they do not result in increased illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. One of the objectives of the Policy is to promote transformation through allocation of fishing rights to entities owned and/or controlled by historically disadvantaged persons which shall include designated groups (youth, women and people with disabilities). Matters dealt with in this Policy include: criteria for a successful applicant for a vessel-based FPE of a applicant for a land-based FPE; granting of fishing rights (only South African persons); duration of right; multi-sector involvement; business plan; environmental authorisation; certificate of acceptability for fish factories and other fish handling and processing establishments; coastal waters discharge permit; environmental and land use planning laws; ecosystem approach to fisheries; observer programme; and performance measuring.