The South Africa Supreme Court of Appeals has upheld a ban implemented by the country’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) on the use of drones used for fishing purposes in an attempt to protect the country’s marine fish populations.
In doing so, the court dismissed an appeal case filed against the DFFE by several business entities involved in the manufacture, import, market, and selling of angling equipment, such as bait-carrying drones and other remote-controlled devices in South Africa.
The DFFE ban first arose in February 2022 and specifically declared illegal the use of “motorized devices, such as, but not limited to, bait-carrying drones, bait-carrying remote-controlled boats, and other remotely operated vehicles, as well as motorized electric reels for angling.”
“Drone fishing significantly enhances the reach and efficiency of anglers, allowing them to target species in areas that are otherwise difficult to access,” DFFE spokesperson Peter Mbelengwa told SeafoodSource. “This can lead to overfishing, particularly of vulnerable or protected species, as well as increased bycatch, where non-target species are unintentionally caught, hence disrupting the balance of marine ecosystems, leading to a decline in fish populations, and negatively affecting biodiversity.”
He also said drones can, at times, “be used to locate and target fish aggregations, which can result in concentrated fishing efforts in critical habitats, such as spawning or nursery areas, thus hindering the natural replenishment of fish stocks, ultimately threatening the long-term sustainability of marine resources.”
“Some drone operators increase their time spent fishing, catch more than is permitted, and then sell the catch to recuperate the cost of the drones, which is illegal commercial fishing, unsustainable, and leads to stock depletion,” Mbelengwa said.
However, Mbelengwa explained DFFE itself, as well as other law enforcement agencies, are allowed to utilize drones in conducting daily and/or specialized operations in a prescribed manner “that provides for a more focused approach to tackling illegal activities.”
“Using drones for law enforcement purposes has a completely different purpose and function and is entirely distinguishable from the use of drones as a fishing method,” he said.
The ban stated the use of devices by anglers was a violation of …
