2 September 2019
St Helena Government is seeking views from the public on a Policy Statement for Management of St Helena’s Fisheries and a Policy for the Licensing of Fishing Activities in St Helena’s Waters.
For many in the community, eating seafood or catching their own fish is traditional to the St Helena way of life. Our fisheries are important contributors to the Island’s economy and creates local employment opportunities and a supply of fresh local produce. Fisheries resources play a vital role for commercial fishing enterprises and is important for customary recreational boat and spear fishing and sports fishing. Implementation of Fisheries Management and Fishing Licensing policies are planned to help ensure our fishing activities and the fisheries upon which such activities depend is managed within a sustainable framework that provides benefits for current and future generations.
Fishing licensing is intended to bring fishing into line with other sectors benefitting through use of the Island’s natural resources. Licensing of all boat fishing and all spearfishing activities is being proposed with related fish catch limits. Licensing is not being proposed for rock-fishing as this is recognised as being a traditional form of fishing activity which fisheries stakeholders would like to encourage in its current form, providing fish catches are for personal consumption and not for sale.
A reform of fisheries legislation is planned to provide a robust regulatory basis for management of the fisheries and both policies will help to inform and provide direction for the necessary changes to the legislation.
Consultations are being targeted to the different stakeholder groups during the consultation period and dates for the public are as follows:
- Recreational fishing meeting:
Canister Conference Room (upstairs) on Wednesday, 11 September 2019, at 4.30pm
- Drop-in surgery for the public to ask questions/discuss documents:
Essex House Conference Room on Thursday, 12 September 2019, from 3pm to 6pm
Electronic copies of the draft policies can be found on the Publications page of the SHG website at: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/publications/. Hard copies are also available from the Scotland and Essex House Office Receptions. Further information can be obtained from the Senior Fisheries Officer, Gerald Benjamin, on tel: 24724 or email: gerald.benjamin@sainthelena.gov.sh
The closing date for responses is 4pm on Friday, 13 September 2019. Please send your comments to Gerald Benjamin via the above email address.
A summary of all feedback received through this exercise will be provided to the Economic Development Committee for their consideration as part of the process of updating the policies and their recommendation for adoption.
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SHG
2 September 2019