South Africa: Government Announces TAC for Abalone Fishery

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has determined the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the South African abalone fishery for the 2025/26 season at 12.01 tons.

This decision was grounded on the advice of the Abalone Scientific Working Group, which considered Catch-Per-Unit Effort (CPUE) indices, fishery-independent survey data, and updated estimates of illegal catches up to 2025.

The evidence was unequivocal, said the department, the abalone resource remains critically low, with densities in Zones A-D at 0.02-0.07 abalone per m², requiring the TAC to remain at zero there and be significantly reduced in Zones E-G.

"This precautionary reduction is not taken lightly. It reflects our legal and moral duty to act on the best scientific advice and to prevent the complete collapse of this resource," said Minister Dion George," Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dr Dion George said on Tuesday.

The Minister emphasised that the TAC reduction underlines the urgent need to combat the scourge of abalone poaching, with illegal catches in 2023 exceeding 13.85 million abalone, directly undermining legal fisheries and recovery efforts.

"This is why we will move to specifically list dried abalone on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Poaching syndicates thrive on the illegal international trade in dried abalone, and this listing announced will close critical loopholes in global enforcement," the Minister said.

This means that all international trade in dried abalone will require CITES export permits, with shipments subject to strict monitoring, verification, and reporting.

It will enable better tracking of trade flows, empower customs authorities worldwide to seize illegal consignments, and facilitate international cooperation to dismantle poaching networks.

By regulating this high-value product, we aim to reduce demand for illicit abalone, protect our marine biodiversity, and support the long-term viability of coastal communities dependent on sustainable fisheries.

Read the original article on SAnews.gov.za.