sa-oceans-economy-master-plan_natural-justice-submission-af4b0b03e99406bb.pdf

This document is a commentary by Natural Justice regarding the 'South Africa’s Oceans Economy Master Plan to 2035 Draft 3 v1'. The submission criticizes the Masterplan for failing to align with international climate obligations, neglecting marine biodiversity, and lacking meaningful consultation with coastal and indigenous communities. Natural Justice argues that the plan prioritizes economic growth and carbon-intensive industries, such as offshore oil and gas exploration, over environmental sustainability and the rights of small-scale fishers.

• The Masterplan is criticized for failing to provide a concrete analysis of how South Africa will meet its international greenhouse gas mitigation obligations under the 2015 Paris Agreement, particularly given the proposed expansion of carbon-intensive industries like manufacturing, marine shipping, and offshore oil and gas exploration.
• Natural Justice identifies a significant lack of consideration for marine biodiversity in the Masterplan, noting the absence of mentions of Marine Protected Areas, Critical Biodiversity Areas, or Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas, and a failure to consider the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act (NEM: ICMA).
• The document asserts that the public participation process for the Masterplan was flawed because it relied on online participation, which excluded small-scale fishing communities without internet access, and provided an insufficient 10-day window for commentary.
• The Masterplan is accused of neglecting the rights and livelihoods of small-scale and subsistence fishers, failing to provide solutions for their participation in the seafood value chain or access to aquaculture farm leasing arrangements.
• Natural Justice argues that the job creation projections in the Masterplan lack transparency and factual support, citing a reliance on unavailable reports for the marine shipping sector and a lack of evidence for job creation in upstream oil and gas sectors.
• The commentary highlights a lack of a standardized national approach to managing oil spills and bunkering pollution in South African waters, recommending a coordinated enforcement programme involving the South African Navy, the South African National Defence Force, and the South African Police Service.
• The document notes that the Masterplan fails to address the recovery of the marine manufacturing industry from COVID-19 disruptions, including component shortages and reduced demand for ship maintenance and repairs.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). sa-oceans-economy-master-plan_natural-justice-submission-af4b0b03e99406bb.pdf. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SA-Oceans-Economy-Master-Plan_Natural-Justice-Submission.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. sa-oceans-economy-master-plan_natural-justice-submission-af4b0b03e99406bb.pdf. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SA-Oceans-Economy-Master-Plan_Natural-Justice-Submission.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Natural Justice |title=sa-oceans-economy-master-plan_natural-justice-submission-af4b0b03e99406bb.pdf |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SA-Oceans-Economy-Master-Plan_Natural-Justice-Submission.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{naturaljusticendsaoceanseconomymasterplannaturaljusticesubmissionaf4b0b03e99406bbpdf, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{sa-oceans-economy-master-plan\_natural-justice-submission-af4b0b03e99406bb.pdf}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SA-Oceans-Economy-Master-Plan_Natural-Justice-Submission.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }