MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The review of the allocation to Viking Inshore Fishing's of rights for fishing hake and sole, that was set to begin in the Cape High Court this week, has been postponed to an unspecified date in late April.
According to a press release from the South African Deep Sea Trawling Industry Association, both Viking Inshore Fishing and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries agreed to a postponement of the review of the allocation of rights that was set to begin on 6 February.
"It was decided at court that because of its importance and effect on the entire fishing industry that the matter should stand over to be heard by a full bench of the High Court. This will take place at the earliest acceptable date, towards the end of April," said Johann Augustyn, secretary of the SA Deep Sea Trawling Industry Association.
This postponement of the case followed the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' written request that the judge president of the High Court urgently removes acting judge Leslie Weinkove from the case concerning fishing quotas for poor communities. The request stemmed from comments Weinkove reportedly made in court earlier in a separate case.
The interdict that was granted by the High Court on 3 January, and which has effectively suspended fishing in the R700 million-per-year inshore trawl fishery, will remain in place until the review application is heard in April.
Viking Inshore Fishing previously challenged the department's latest allocation of fishing rights, and the quantum in the hake inshore trawl and sole fishery sector.
In an earlier court ruling on the interdict requested, Judge Lee Bozalek said that Viking Fishing had established a prima facie case that the rights allocations were "unlawful, irrational and procedurally unfair" and that the company had a reasonable prospect of success in appealing and in review proceedings.
At the time Tim Reddell, a Viking Fishing representative, said: "A 60 percent cut in our quota will devastate our business and see us lay-up three or four vessels - leaving their skippers and fishing crews without work and in due course it will close down our hake and sole handling, packing and processing factory in Mossel Bay.
"This would destroy the employment opportunities we have created over many years. We decided we couldn't do that to our people."
Viking Inshore Fishing is among the 27 fishing companies that have been affected by the new fishing permits.
Click here for previous articles:
- Viking Fisheries: Case postponed
- Viking fighting to save 179 jobs
- Great attempt to save 179 fishing jobs
- 125 Vissers dalk werkloos
ARTICLE: NICKEY LE ROUX, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER NEWS EDITOR
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