By Petrus Viviers – St Lucia Experience
All Photos is AI Generated
⅞Communities along the northern KwaZulu-Natal coastline are increasingly voicing anger and frustration over unregulated and illegal fishing, particularly the use of gillnets in estuaries and nearshore waters. What began as quiet concern has escalated into public protests, social-media campaigns, and growing tension between communities, conservation authorities, and enforcement agencies.
At the centre of the issue are sensitive ecosystems linked to iSimangaliso Wetland Park, including areas feeding into St Lucia Estuary and the wider northern KZN coastline.
What Is Happening on the Water
Residents and small-scale fishers report that illegal gillnets are being deployed in estuaries and shallow coastal zones, often overnight. These nets are highly efficient, indiscriminate, and capable of removing large volumes of fish in a short time.
According to conservation reports and local monitoring groups, thousands of tonnes of fish are removed annually through illegal gillnetting across northern KZN estuaries. These are fish that would normally support local food security, legal small-scale fishing, and tourism-related livelihoods.
Social media platforms and local forums are now flooded with photos and videos showing confiscated nets, night operations, and empty waters — evidence shared by residents who feel authorities are either overwhelmed or under-resourced.
Where Does the Fish Go?
Contrary to popular belief, most illegally caught fish does not remain in the local community.
Based on value-chain patterns seen across South Africa’s small-scale fisheries:
Fish is typically sold cheaply at source to middlemen or transporters
It is then moved to urban markets, roadside traders, informal processors, and restaurants
Each step up the chain increases profit — but not for the original fishing communities
This means fish removed from local waters often ends up feeding tourists or distant markets, while the communities closest to the resource struggle to access affordable protein.
Who Profits — and Who Loses?
Those who benefit:
Middlemen and buyers controlling transport and market access
Informal traders and some food outlets accessing cheap supply
Organised groups exploiting weak enforcement
Those who lose:
Small-scale fishers following legal and traditional methods
Local households who rely on fish as a primary protein source
Children, who face reduced dietary quality
Tourism operators, as degraded ecosystems reduce visitor appeal
Over time, the economic value of the resource shifts away from the community and toward those with better logistics and fewer consequences.
The Hidden Nutrition Crisis: Children and Protein Loss
Fish is one of the most accessible and affordable sources of high-quality protein for coastal households. When fish stocks are removed illegally, the impact is not just economic — it is nutritional.
Using conservative nutritional estimates:
Fish contains roughly 18% protein by weight
Illegal gillnetting in northern KZN represents hundreds of thousands of kilograms of lost protein annually
This equates to tens of thousands of child-years of recommended daily protein intake
In a province where child malnutrition and food insecurity already exist, the loss of local fish protein directly affects child growth, immunity, and cognitive development.
Simply put:
Fish taken illegally today is protein missing from a child’s plate tomorrow.
Community Voices and Social Media Pressure
Facebook groups, WhatsApp community forums, and video platforms have become key tools for awareness and mobilisation. Residents share sightings of illegal nets, empty estuaries, and enforcement gaps — often tagging authorities and conservation bodies directly.
These platforms have transformed frustration into public accountability, keeping the issue in the spotlight even when official responses are slow.
Why This Matters for St Lucia
St Lucia’s identity is inseparable from its estuary, wildlife, and natural abundance. Sustainable fishing is not anti-community — it is pro-future.
Without effective enforcement, community involvement, and fair value-chain reform:
Fish stocks decline
Food security weakens
Tourism suffers
Conflict intensifies
Protecting the estuary is not just about conservation — it is about protecting people.
The Way Forward
Communities are calling for:
Stronger, visible enforcement against illegal gillnetting
Support for legal small-scale fishers
Fair access to markets without exploitative middlemen
Community-based co-management of fisheries
Immediate nutrition support where food security is already compromised
Sustainable fishing is not a luxury — it is a necessity for ecological balance, social stability, and the next generation.
St Lucia Experience will continue to follow this issue closely, amplifying local voices and highlighting how conservation, livelihoods, and food security are deeply connected in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
