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Inshore trawlers berthed in Mossel Bay When Colin Attwood from the University of Cape Town’s Department of Biological Sciences began studying South Africa’s inshore fishery in 2014, he and his team of researchers uncovered a complex web of challenges that would reshape how the industry thinks about managing bycatch. This decade-long research effort, which is […]

In most fishing nations, scientific observer programmes are funded and coordinated by the government agencies responsible for fisheries management. South Africa followed this model from 2002 to 2011, until government funding for the Offshore Resources Observer Programme was withdrawn. At that point, a parallel programme funded by the South African Deep-Sea Trawling Industry Association (SADSTIA)

A pioneering project led by the University of Cape Town’s Department of Biological Sciences is developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve onboard monitoring of fish catches in South Africa’s trawl fishery for hake. By combining AI with video technology, the project aims to deliver more accurate and transparent data on what’s being caught at

A pioneering pilot project has launched in Cape Town that could revolutionize the way fishing nets are recycled in South Africa – and potentially across the globe. Spearheaded by non-profit company OCEAN Action Network (OCEAN) and Ocean Plastic Technologies (OPT), the project will introduce the country’s first harbour-based facility for recycling fishing nets, located at

An innovative project in the South African trawl fishery for hake, led by Imvelo Blue Environment Consultancy, aims to improve compliance with Bird Scaring Line (BSL) deployment – a key method for reducing seabird bycatch. The project is one of three to be funded by a £25 000 (about R610 000) grant from the MSC’s Ocean Stewardship

The South African trawl fishery for hake is advancing its commitment to sustainability as it prepares for recertification under the updated Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard. Certified since 2004 and successfully re-assessed three times, the fishery is now taking proactive steps to meet the Standard’s latest best-practice requirements. To support this transition, the South

Right-holders in the South African trawl fishery for hake are aiming for a fifth certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and are intensifying efforts to present robust evidence of sustainable fishing practices. A team of independent assessors is expected to complete the final audit of the fishery under the current MSC certification (2021–2026) by

Against the backdrop of a shifting international market, South African hake is well-positioned to meet rising demand, particularly from the European Union and North America. Global groundfish supply is projected to remain stable in 2025 and in the years to come, holding steady at approximately 6.8 million tons per year, in line with the 20-year

Fleet operators move to boost data collection at sea The importance of accurate reporting by the vessels operating in the South African trawl fishery for hake was the focus of a day long workshop that took place at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town this week. The workshop was well attended, with 58 skippers,