This bumper issue has been published early so that we could make it available on our stand at the 2007 Fish and Aquaculture Africa exhibition and we hope that it will provide plenty of interesting reading material.

An update is included on developments in the Small Scale sector. The six month interim relief package expired at the end of September, but although progress towards a more inclusive policy framework has been significant, an extension has been requested on the grounds that this is no quick fix. To note though is the National Summit to be held in Port Elizabeth next month.

The presence of some foreign vessels in South African waters has upset a lot of people. A review of what has been happening in the Hake Deep Sea Trawl sector on page 18 is balanced by an article about South African advances in the Tuna Long Line fishery since the Koreans have departed.

The long liners operating in the Large Pelagic fishery are not appreciated by environmentalists who say they pay no heed to the high fatality of seabirds and are causing irreparable ecological damage. They are now proposing changes to the management of seabird bycatch, details of which will be under discussion at an industry meeting mid-month.

In the meantime industry is backing responsible fishing practises (see the new cartoon). A training course has been developed aimed directly at fishers, observers and compliance officers and it is expected that this will lead to greater understanding of why it is necessary that an ecosystem approach to fisheries management is implemented and what incentives there are to be compliant with the regulations.

The profile interview on page 22 showcases a little known SMME company that operates from the West Coast town of Doringbaai. Noordbaai Vissers Bpk has rights to harvest West Coast Rock Lobster, Anchovy and Sardines and from the proceeds of its catches is able to support 117 families. While they don't quite have everything they would have liked, their faith plays an important role and the shareholders are beginning to see results.

The new Cru-watch concept developed by Molimo Business Zone offers an opportunity that boat owners and skippers will certainly benefit from. It must be stressed that Molimo is not offering a recruitment service. Rather Cru-watch provides detailed and current information about crew members' skills and reliability and is a programme that has been extensively tested using the company's existing client base.

In these pages you will also find news of a new Abalone feed developed in South Africa and which is currently under trial in Chile; and there is an article on page 30 about the opening of Prime Quality Products, a new fish processing facility in Muizenberg that is now supplying the food and beverage and wholesale industries.

Finally, to our advertisers, we say thank you for your support of this issue and to all our readers please do visit us at our stand at Fish Africa.
 

Editor.

Cover Story

African Maritime Services offers full trawl design, manufacture and repair facilities in Cape Town and Walvis Bay.

This photo shows one of several huge 54m long 8-panel cod-ends recently built by the company for Namibian mid-water trawlers targeting maasbanker. The main body of the net was made from Euroline® Premium double netting - an advanced netting product offering an optimal combination of strength and twine thickness when compared to the equivalent diameter in nylon.The company also carries an extensive stock of trawling equipment from respected, international manufacturers including Bridon, Euronete, Markussens, Morgere (trawl doors), Parsons Trawlex®, Castro, NETS Ultracross.