12 January 2023 – The Draft Aquaculture Development Bill 2023 has been published for public comment.
On initial examination, there is reason to be concerned should this bill be passed as it is currently written, without harmonising this Bill is passed, without recognising the probably overlaps between this bill and the existing regulations.
These overlaps could cause considerable duplications and potentially conflicting regulation, with associated significant increases in compliance obligations on the crocodile industry, as well as the duplication of staff and work required to meet various temporally active oversight bodies and legislations, i.e., the:
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE),
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
- National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (10 of 2004) Threatened or Protected Species regulations, and
- Department of Agriculture Legislation
Most exporters are already subjected to local and international Certification requirements and audits. Creating additional legislation without capacity and trained staff that has can support, regulate and monitor the crocodile industry in a competent manner will only lead to further destruction of existing jobs.
WRSA foresees that this bill could have a significant impact on the ranching and hunting of crocodiles in South Africa, as well as on other threatened of protected species (TOPS) and is already in discussion with industry role-players to prepare and collate comments for submission.
We encourage members to submit comments by downloading the supplied DFFE Preferred template below:
Click here to download the DFFE Preferred template for the submission of comments.
Email address for submissions: AquacultureDB@dffe.gov.za c/o Mr Tshepo Sebake
Closing date for submissions: 22 January 2024
Click here to download the Draft Aquaculture Development Bill 2023 or read below:
Gazette_Published Draft Aquaculture Bill_17.11.2023
