“We are delighted with this verdict. The rule of law has once again come to the defence of small-scale fishers. The judgement today is another confirmation of the recognition of livelihood, food and access rights of fishing communities. The courts made it clear these rights must be preserved and protected.”
This according to Naseegh Jaffer, Director at Masifundise, after the Western Cape High Court has ruled against seismic blasting in the West Coast this month.
On Tuesday (1 March) Judge Thulare has dismissed Searcher Seismic’s bid to appeal the interdict blocking the Australian company from carrying out oil and gas exploration along the local coast.
The ruling comes after the Western Cape High Court granted an interim interdict on 7 February to stop Searcher Seismic from their plans to do seismic blasting off between Cape Town and Namibia.
Thursday 24 February local members of the fishing communities returned to the court to make their arguments against the blasting. They were represented by the Legal Resource Centre. The fishers urge that the blasting will impact on their ability to fish and thus their livelihoods “as it stands the survey will be at the expense of the livelihoods of impoverished communities of small-scale fishers which Searcher deliberately marginalised. Climate change has changed the ability to catch fish and the survey will further impact the ability to catch fish and small-scale fishing will collapse,” said Judge Thulare handing down his judgement.
