VALUING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF FISHERIES AND OTHER MARINE USES IN SOUTH AFRICA

The report values South Africa's commercial fishing industry, highlighting its significant contribution to the Western Cape's economy and the risks posed by marine phosphate mining. It finds that the hake and small-pelagic sectors are the most economically valuable, with substantial spatial overlap between their fishing grounds and proposed mining areas. The analysis warns that mining could lead to habitat destruction, water quality deterioration, and loss of MSC certification, while noting significant uncertainty regarding the actual scale of these impacts.

• In 2013, the total catch across all South African fisheries was estimated at 427,734 tons with a wholesale value of R8.0 billion, while fish product exports generated R5.3 billion in 2015.
• The commercial fishing industry provides significant employment, with an estimated 27,000 direct jobs and between 81,000 and 100,000 indirect jobs in linked industries.
• The demersal trawl (hake) and small-pelagic fisheries are the dominant sectors, together accounting for approximately 86% of total catch and over 65% of total wholesale value in 2013.
• The fishing industry is highly concentrated in the Western Cape Province, which accounts for approximately 90% of the sector's value, 71% of employment, and 85% of total fish exports as of 2012.
• There is a substantial spatial overlap between proposed marine phosphate mining areas and key fishing grounds; between 2000 and 2014, an average of 77% of the demersal-trawl catch occurred within prospecting areas.
• Marine phosphate mining poses several environmental risks, including the physical destruction of benthic communities, the release of sediment plumes that increase turbidity, and the potential re-release of toxic heavy metals and hydrogen sulphide.
• The hake industry faces significant economic risks from mining, including the potential loss of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which could result in losses between R812 million and R860 million due to declining export prices and loss of premium markets.
• Economy-wide multiplier analysis indicates that for every R1 in exogenous demand for fishery products, an additional R1.60 is generated in output, leading to a net increase in domestic household income of R0.70.
• The report identifies a high degree of uncertainty regarding the actual significance of mining impacts on fishery harvests, noting that international projects in New Zealand and Namibia were rejected or paused due to such uncertainties.

APA

Brick, K., & Hasson, R. (n.d.). VALUING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF FISHERIES AND OTHER MARINE USES IN SOUTH AFRICA. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Socio-economic-Report_Web.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Brick, Kerri, and Reviva Hasson. VALUING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF FISHERIES AND OTHER MARINE USES IN SOUTH AFRICA. Centre for Environmental Rights, n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Socio-economic-Report_Web.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Brick |first1=Kerri |last2=Hasson |first2=Reviva |title=VALUING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF FISHERIES AND OTHER MARINE USES IN SOUTH AFRICA |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Socio-economic-Report_Web.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{brickndvaluing, author = {Brick, Kerri and Hasson, Reviva}, title = {{VALUING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF FISHERIES AND OTHER MARINE USES IN SOUTH AFRICA}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Socio-economic-Report_Web.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }