The Buffeljagsbaai community has to wait another year, to hear if they can win back rights to re-harvest kelp.
The hearing between the Buffeljagsbaai Marine Company and the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), was postponed to May 2027.
Members of the small -scale fishing company expressed dissatisfaction about the postponement in a news statement.
Neville van Rooy, Head of Community Outreach and Environmental Justice Campaigner at Masifunde Development Trust said “upon arrival at court, cooperative members were informed that the matter had once again been postponed . The postponement comes as a significant blow to fishers and their families, who have already endured years of uncertainty and loss of income as a result of the ongoing dispute.”
The dispute dates back to 2024, when the DFFE issued a permit to the Seawhale Cooperative for the harvesting of kelp, in concession area 5.
The Masifunde Development Trust said harvesting kelp provided income to families in Buffeljagsbaai.
The department said at the time of the allocation of such rights, it was implementing its new Small-Scale Fishing Policy, for 15-years, to legalize and support local, community-based cooperatives rather than solely granting licenses to large commercial entities.
The Sea Whale Co-op is made up of 52 verified small-scale fishers from the remote Western Cape fishing village of Buffeljagsbaai.
The permit allows them to process and sell kelp.
Picture: Cape RADD