The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp has upheld appeals from small-scale fishing cooperatives in the Traditional Linefish and West Coast Rock Lobster sectors for the 2026/2027 fishing season.

The decision, announced during a media briefing on Thursday, restores 297 standard vessels to the small-scale Traditional Linefish sector after they were previously excluded from the latest Total Allowable Effort (TAE) allocations.

The restoration protects the livelihoods of approximately 10 fishers per vessel, totalling thousands of jobs in coastal communities.

The vessels had been used by small-scale fishers for about 16 years under an interim relief system.

Aucamp said the appeals were handled urgently but carefully to ensure fairness and protect livelihoods while maintaining the sustainable use of South Africa’s marine resources.

“The issuing of these decisions in such a short timeframe is exceptional in nature, but was not taken lightly,” the minister said.

To allow fishers to continue operating while new permits are processed, the department has issued temporary exemptions for the reinstated vessels.

The minister also ruled on appeals in the West Coast Rock Lobster sector, after some cooperatives received smaller allocations despite an increase in the overall catch limit for the 2025/2026 season.

He has instructed officials to recalculate allocations for individual cooperatives by next week and extended the lobster fishing season from four months to five months.

Representatives from small-scale fishing groups welcomed the decision. Hilda Adams of the Mamre Fishing Primary Cooperative and chairperson of the West Coast Fishers Forum thanked the minister for addressing the appeals within a short timeframe.

Faez Poggenpoel, a fifth-generation fisher from the Kalk Bay Primary Cooperative, said the decision could protect thousands of livelihoods. He noted that with about ten crew members per vessel, the reinstatement of 297 boats could affect more than 15,000 dependents.

Civil society organisations Masifundise and Coastal Links also welcomed the reinstatement of the vessels, saying it provides important relief for small-scale fishers whose livelihoods were at risk following the earlier allocation cuts.

However, the groups said several concerns remain, including calls for a broader review of the overall TAE allocations and clarity on vessel allocations in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, where they say the current numbers remain insufficient.

They also urged the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to ensure more transparent and consistent engagement with fishing communities and representative organisations when making decisions that affect the sector.

Aucamp has announced further engagements with small-scale fishers starting 1 April 2026.