Our environment is our passport to the world. Overseas people are curious about South Africa and they want to visit. With the exception of our horrifying crime statistics, how the country is marketed and what they see on television and read about in the media is impressive. Which is why it is so imperative to sustain a pristine environment; in 2010 our country will be showcased worldwide in live broadcasts of all Soccer World Cup matches to more than three billion people. At a recent Oceana breakfast, ex soccer star Gary Baillie said we could expect to welcome upward of 300 000 international fans, excluding Africans, during the event.

It is therefore a given that environmental matters continue to preoccupy our time. The first Ministerial Conference of the Benguela Current Commission was held in July; the blueprint for protecting Southern Africa's marine ecosystems was published by WWF SA and the BCLME programme; the newly released State of the Environment Report 2006 found that South Africa's environment is deteriorating; and Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk told delegates at the opening of the Global Environment Facility's (GEF) Fourth Biennial International Waters Conference that there were limits to the extent an ecosystem could be exploited.

The Fish and Aquaculture Africa 2007 conference and exhibition is approaching fast and fishing companies and individuals are gearing up to take advantage of what they can learn there. Meanwhile the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has been busy with a Marine Aquaculture Stakeholder Roundtable dialogue on the development of the Marine Aquaculture policy for South Africa. Government speak is that there is "great potential for aquaculture to meet the challenges of poverty and alleviate the burden of over harvesting our oceans"; others on the ground says being forewarned is to be forearmed.

Fishers will be pleased to know that new international labour standards have been adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Way overdue, this means that fishers have more rights than ever before so please take the time to learn what the benefits are to you. Likewise fishers based in the Western Cape, especially those in communities affected by quota cuts, should also find out more about the new bursary programme that is being rolled out. Basically, bursaries are being awarded to entrepreneurial thinkers, half of them women, wishing to learn how to run a business properly with a view to developing new ventures in the fishing and aquaculture industries.

Another learning experience was a visit to the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory to find out just how the Earth's magnetic field affects compass readings. While you might say that you use an electronic compass now, remember if it fails you will be directionless unless you know how to work a magnetic compass.

In conclusion our skipper profile this month is Peter Warren. Interviewing this fascinating man led to a second story, that of a new maritime and whaling museum due to open its doors in time for the 2007 festive season. It is a well thought out project that has received the support of various local government departments which are now working together to influence Western Cape schools about incorporating the workshop environment as part of the school curriculum.

Editor.

Cover Story

A visit to the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, which functions as an active participant in the worldwide network of magnetic observatories which monitor and model variations of the earth’s magnetic field (see page 23), presented an opportunity to visit the town's New Harbour built to the west of the town. Although it is generally quiet during the winter months Hermanus is very popular as a tourism, recreation and retirement destination, and is especially busy around the time of the Whale Festival. The New Harbour accommodates larger fishing vessels which was not the case with the Old Harbour established in about 1855 and located just below the town centre. Commercial line-fishing, abalone and mariculture activities occur in the region but intensive fishing and poaching has caused the collapse of many fish stocks. Picture Arnie Burt.