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Towards Equity, Sustainability and Stability: A Sector Planning Approach to Fishing and Mariculture Development in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa.

A development mandate is explicit in South Africa's new fisheries legislation, the Marine Living Resources Act, which is based on the principles of equity, sustainability and stability. The new policy represents a significant departure fro m that of the previous Government, which largely confined its role to resource management. This presents a challenge in terms of the development of institutional strategies and capacity to promote socio-economic goals. A case study of a sector planning approach to fishing and mariculture development in the Northern Cape Province is described, as well as lessons learned from the experience. The economy of the Namaqualand coastal region of the Northern Cape Province is dominated by mining which is in decline, however fishing and mariculture offer a significant opportunity for sustainable economic development provided appropriate interventions are made. Specific initiatives have included the establishment of a representative community based Fishing and Mariculture Development Association (FAMDA), mentor support for emerging fishing and mariculture entrepreneurs, a socio-economic baseline and impact assessment of the potential of mariculture and fishery development, research support to promote fishery and aquaculture development, and the development of new projects and investments. It is concluded that the single biggest constraint to fishing and mariculture development remains institutional, and that well coordinated planning and institutional arrangements will be required if development goals of South Africa's new Marine Living Resources Act are to be realised.