The Eastern and Southern Cape Pelagic Association has expressed concern over Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy’s fishing ban announcement made on Friday.reported that ‘the species has decreased from more than a million breeding pairs to just about 10 000 pairs over the last century.The ban will be enforced around St Croix Island, home to the biggest African penguin colony in the world, Bird Island, as well as Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point and Dyer Island.
Creecy said competition for food was thought to be one among a set of pressures contributing to the decline of the African penguin population.: Appreciate the beauty of Cape Town with a 60-minute cruise for R155 . Get itMohamed Riedau de Maine, the chairperson of the ESPA, said that the fishing industry tried to negotiate a compromise with environmental organisations concerning fishing limitations.
De Maine added that the current closures around St Croix Island were 73%, while around Bird Island, they were approximately 93%.