Nelson Mandela Bay fish farm appeal extended due to coronavirus

The appeal process against the Algoa Bay fish farm has been extended for 10 days in light of several requests and the global coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement came at midday on Thursday, a day before the appeal process was due to draw to a close.

According to the government, the project would net close to R600m in investment and create close to 3,000 jobs.

In February, the Algoa Bay Aquaculture Development Zone was approved on the back of claims that it was a new vehicle for jobs and economic development.

Critics, however, warned that it would increase the risk of shark attacks and turn the Bay into a marine industrial park, with tourism jobs lost.

The department of environmental affairs said in a letter that it had granted permission for a finfish farm near the Port of Ngqura as well as shellfish farms that would focus on oysters and mussels — one off the city’s southern beaches and the other just north of the Port Elizabeth Harbour.

While the process has been endorsed, and approved, the law entitles all affected parties to lodge appeals in a bid to get the state to review its reasons for granting permission.

The appeals are lodged with the department of environmental affairs appeals review board, which will assess the reasons for the appeal.

Anchor Environmental consultancy representative Safiyya Sedick said in an e-mail to all the role players that the appeal period had been extended until April 2.

“Due to a number of appeal period extension requests and also taking into account the circumstances surrounding the Covid-19 epidemic, the decision was made to extend the deadline for the submission of appeals by 10 working days,” she said.

The fisheries department launched the Algoa Bay fish farm project nearly a decade ago with a different site configuration and including a fish component off the beachfront.

The beachfront shellfish farm will cover an area of almost 3km² from Kings Beach to Pollok Beach and will be  about 2km offshore.

The harbour shellfish farm will comprise 479ha and will stretch from the north wall of the harbour 4.8km² along the shore.

The Ngqura finfish farm, focused on a range of fish including kob and yellowtail, will cover 3.5km², and will be situated about 3km offshore, running adjacent to the Addo Marine Protected area.

Environmental affairs spokesperson Albi Modise said the authorisation to proceed had come after a series of studies and an environmental impact assessment (EIA) aimed at determining the likely effects the project would have on the environment.

“The EIA took into account interrelated socioeconomic, cultural and human-health impacts.

“The process had also included determining appropriate mitigation, management and control measures for potential impacts identified,” he said.