South Africa: Cape fishers are worried about declining fish populations

"The South African story has already been written in Namibia" where there was a three-year moratorium on sardine and anchovy catch because stocks were so low Mario Jacobs is worried. He has had a commercial fishing license since 1998, and has an annual quota for catching sardines and anchovies. But sardine stocks have been in poor shape for years and 2023 was the worst year on record for anchovy stocks. Jacobs, who is from Hangberg in Hout Bay, says his business has been suffering for years. He is battling to access funds to buy a new boat and to cover the costs of his crew. The dwindling catch is making it difficult to keep his head above water. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) measures sardine and anchovy stocks biannually with a total biomass survey and a recruitment survey. Recruitment refers to new fish entering the fisheries. The DFFE states that sardine recruitment is very low but has shown some signs of increasing in recent years. The worst ...