Cape town: The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has announced the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the South African abalone fishery for the 2025/26 season, set at 12.01 tons. This decision follows the recommendations of the Abalone Scientific Working Group, which assessed various data, including Catch-Per-Unit Effort (CPUE) indices, fishery-independent survey data, and estimates of illegal catches up to 2025.
According to South African Government News Agency, the evidence presented was clear: the abalone resource remains critically low. Densities in Zones A-D are between 0.02-0.07 abalone per square meter, necessitating a zero TAC in these zones and a significant reduction in Zones E-G. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dr. Dion George stated that this reduction is a precautionary measure based on scientific advice to prevent the collapse of the abalone resource.
Minister George highlighted the pressing need to address abalone poaching, which saw illegal catches exceed 13.85 million abalone in 2023. This illegal activity undermines legal fisheries and conservation efforts. To combat this, the government plans to list dried abalone on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), closing loopholes that poaching syndicates exploit in the international trade of dried abalone.
This listing will require all international trade in dried abalone to have CITES export permits, ensuring strict monitoring, verification, and reporting of shipments. This measure aims to improve the tracking of trade flows, empower customs authorities globally to seize illegal consignments, and facilitate international collaboration to dismantle poaching networks.
By regulating the trade of this high-value product, the government intends to decrease the demand for illicit abalone, protect marine biodiversity, and support the long-term sustainability of coastal communities dependent on legitimate fisheries.