BY Natasha Joseph

On Monday, Van Schalkwyk confirmed that the use of all diving equipment would be banned in four Western and Eastern Cape areas as "part of a suite of actions aimed at protecting wild abalone".

The Masifundise Development Trust, which works to protect the rights of small-scale fishers, said while it acknowledged that abalone was "under threat", the department needed to implement a social plan that would support fishers affected by the ban.

"(Abalone) is under threat but instead of a full closure (of the fishery) we suggest a partial closure," said Naseegh Jaffer of the Trust. He said fishing rights should be given only to people who were "entirely dependent" on abalone for income.

Masifundise had proposed "a number of alternatives", said Jaffer - but "the response has been silence".

"We will continue to pursue the position that we are taking. If the minister is not going to put in place a changed position, we will continue to engage him on the unreasonableness of that position," Jaffer said.

On Tuesday, Van Schalkwyk's spokesperson, Riaan Aucamp, said that "the ban is on track".
"We are geared up and ready to enforce the ban. Those intending to ignore the ban will face the full might of the law," MCM spokesperson Carol Moses said on Tuesday.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Sanlam Living Waters Partnership manager Deon Nel said the organisation had not seen "a comprehensive compliance strategy or any commitment to increase resources to compliers ... The good guys will comply with the ban, and if there's not enough (enforcement) from the authorities it'll be business as usual for the poachers".

Monty Guest, chairperson of diving and marine conservation organisation Underwater Africa, said the department had "no will" to enforce the ban. "Poaching is illegal under existing legislation - new legislation won't make a difference

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