Perlemoen poaching in world spotlight

PERLEMOEN poaching is linked to the global network of transnational crimes and is one of the largest problems the local fishing industry faces.

This was revealed during a two-day International Fish Crime Symposium held in Cape Town.

The symposium, which ended yesterday, saw the world’s leading marine crime and security experts discuss ways to tackle highly organised and well-financed transnational illegal fishing networks across the globe.

Experts estimate that illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing costs sub-Saharan Africa about R13-billion a year.

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries compliance enforcement head Ceba Mthoba said fisheries crime was a major challenge in South Africa and required a coordinated global approach to stamp out syndicates

“Poaching is driven by organised crime syndicates with ties to drug trafficking networks all over the world,” Mthoba said.

“They operate in Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape, but also all over the country and the world.

“We know the main destination of these products is Asia and we also know these groups are linked to the drug trade.

- Gareth Wilson