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1419 MONDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 2008
1420
(4)
ment was from 14 October 2005 to
20 January 2006 (98 days).
The comments received indeed impacted
on the final provisions of the
MPA. The most frequent comment was
that the proposed estuarine area in
which fishing would be allowed was
regarded as being too small to accommodate
users, and there were numerous
concerns about the impact of recreational
power-boating on the estuary.
Thus the major change between the
gazetted proposal in 2005 and the final
published version in 2008 increases the
extent of the Goukou Estuary in which
fishing is allowed from 1,2 km (upstream
to the mouth), to 3,4 km
(upstream from the mouth). The matter
of power-boating in the estuary is being
dealt with as an estuarine management
issue. Other details are that spearfishing
will be allowed in the marine controlled
area (where traditional commercial and
recreational fishing activities are also
allowed), and that scuba diving will be
allowed throughout the MPA (but will
require a permit from February 2009
and will be subject to conditions). The
previously existing prohibitions on
launching of jetskis in the area are
strengthened through banning their use
anywhere in the MPA as proposed in
the 2005 gazette.
MCM officials arrested
1845. Mr I F JULIES (DA) asked the
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism:
(1) Whether officials from the Marine
and Coastal Management arrested or
threatened to arrest surfers and
(2)
swimmers who wear wetsuits in the
sea in order to enforce the ban on
diving; if not, what is the position in
this regard; if so, what are the relevant
details;
whether any clauses in the regulations
regarding the current dive ban
prevent recreational users of our seas
from wearing certain attire; if so,
what are the relevant details?
NW2637E
The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS AND TOURISM:
(1) No. Such a situation has to our knowledge
not arisen.
(2) The Government Gazette No. 30716 of
1 February 2008 does not restrict the
wearing of wetsuits or other attire in the
dive ban area. It does, however prohibit
the wearing of certain gear, including
‘‘goggles, diving masks, snorkels, flippers,
artificial breathing apparatus,
weight belts or weights, bags used for
underwater collection of fish, shucking
tools or any implement which could be
used for harvesting abalone’’.
Honorary marine conservation officers
in Eastern Cape
1848. Mr I F JULIES (DA) asked the
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism:
(1) Whether any steps have been taken
to support the honorary marine conservation
officers in the Eastern
(2)
Cape; if not, why not; if so, what are
the relevant details;
whether measures are in place to
ensure that such officers have a good
working relationship with the Marine
and Coastal Management; if not,
why not; if so, what are the relevant
details;
(3) How many such officers are in the
Eastern Cape;
(4) whether any steps are being taken to
recruit new honorary marine conservation
officers; if not, why not; if so,
what steps? NW2640E
The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS AND TOURISM:
(1) Honorary officers receive on-the-job