LOCKDOWN LESSONS FROM SOUTH AFRICAS FISHERIES

The report finds that while the industrial fishing sector in South Africa was better able to absorb the shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic due to existing resources and networks, small-scale fisheries faced devastating impacts. These included severe income loss, food insecurity, and harassment by law enforcement despite being designated as essential workers. The study highlights that historical exclusions from formal policy processes left many traditional fishers without essential permits, exacerbating their vulnerability. While some functional co-operatives showed potential for building resilience, the report argues that a lack of infrastructure, education, and formal market access continues to hinder small-scale fishers. It recommends a collaborative governance approach to address historical inequities and empower local co-operatives to withstand future shocks.

• The industrial fishing sector demonstrated greater resilience than the small-scale sector, as stakeholders with more financial resources and networks were better equipped to absorb the stressors and shocks caused by Covid-19.
• Small-scale fishers faced significant food insecurity and protein shortages because those not formally recognised under the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy were restricted to recreational permits, which were prohibited during early lockdown phases.
• Despite being designated as an essential service, many small-scale fishers in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape were harassed or prevented from fishing by police enforcing lockdown rules.
• The pandemic caused a crash in international and local markets, leading to a sharp decline in the value of catches; for example, West Coast rock lobster prices dropped from $37/kg to $19/kg, and kingklip fell from R115/kg to R50–R60/kg.
• Small-scale fishers generally do not view fishing as a viable form of employment, with high levels of self-reported unemployment: 93% in the Western Cape, 82% in the Northern Cape, 70% in the Eastern Cape, and 55% in KwaZulu-Natal.
• The West Coast rock lobster fishery was particularly hard hit by the closure of Chinese markets, which is the primary international market for the species, and the subsequent reduction in international flights.
• The East Coast rock lobster sector suffered from a lack of infrastructure, such as electricity and land for factories, and failed to recover as international markets prioritised West Coast rock lobster over East Coast varieties.
• Functional co-operatives can enhance resilience by allowing communities to enter the seafood value chain and provide mutual aid, though many still lack the necessary capacity and digital resources for effective management.
• Government aid was often insufficient or inconsistent, with many participants in the Northern Cape receiving no aid, while others in other provinces primarily received one-off food parcels or a small monthly grant of R350.

APA

Mbatha, P. (2021). LOCKDOWN LESSONS FROM SOUTH AFRICAS FISHERIES. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_small_scale_fisheries_impact.pdf

Chicago

Mbatha, Philile. LOCKDOWN LESSONS FROM SOUTH AFRICAS FISHERIES. WWF South Africa, 2021. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_small_scale_fisheries_impact.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mbatha |first1=Philile |title=LOCKDOWN LESSONS FROM SOUTH AFRICAS FISHERIES |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2021 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_small_scale_fisheries_impact.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mbatha2021lockdown, author = {Mbatha, Philile}, title = {{LOCKDOWN LESSONS FROM SOUTH AFRICAS FISHERIES}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2021}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_small_scale_fisheries_impact.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }