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Abstract: The paper uses the three legislative criteria of resource sustainability, economic stability and social equity to measure the past decade of fisheries reform in South Africa. All three components of the reform process have been successful, although this judgement is subject to a number of important qualifications. First, the data available to measure success are limited. Second, both sustainability and stability are vulnerable to volatile factors external to the reform process (particularly variability in recruitment, climate change and exchange rate fluctuations) capable of derailing the process. Substantial alteration of the fishing industry by internal transformation of existing companies and the reallocation of access rights to new black entrants has led to a composition that closely reflects that of society as a whole and therefore meets the goal of equity. In the process, however, bona fide traditional fishers with a historical dependence on fishing have largely been denied legitimate access to the fisheries, and meeting their aspirations remains a challenge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the pre-existing vulnerability of the small-scale fisheries sector in South Africa and exposed the structural inequalities and ongoing injustices facing this sector. The failures within the fisheries governance and management system linked to the slow pace of implementing the Small-scale Fisheries Policy of 2012, have further exacerbated their vulnerability. This paper explores the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small-scale fisheries sector and exposes how governance failures within the fisheries sector have increased their vulnerability. Restrictions on fishing activities and mobility, closure of conservation areas, unfair fines and arrests, loss of markets and barriers to sale of fish products as well as lack of access to water, have had significant impacts on small-scale fishers and coastal communities. The lack of social protection and the limited emergency relief provided by government further exacerbated their precarious position. Despite their vulnerability, fishers have demonstrated a measure of resilience, supporting those in need with food, lobbying government to amend restrictions and recognise their rights, and challenging efforts to fast-track development and exclude their voices. The crisis has highlighted an urgent need for broad, national level transformation to deal with the poverty and injustices facing poor coastal communities, as well as fisheries-specific policy reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and implementation of a new small-scale fisheries policy in South Africa has been a protracted and convoluted process. Following a participatory policy formulation process, founded on human-rights principles and a commitment to a community-based approach to governance, implementation planning and policy-roll-out have deviated from these foundational principles leading to thousands of fishers being left out of the process and the persistence of state-centric management. Drawing on the fisheries governance and policy implementation literature, the paper systematically analyses the transition from the small-scale policy formulation process to implementation and highlights the governance processes and other factors that have resulted in a mismatch between policy rhetoric and implementation practices. Key factors that have contributed to this policy disjuncture include a lack of ongoing engagement and collaboration with stakeholders, adopting a one-size fits all approach, inappropriate legal mechanisms to operationalise the policy, issuing of individual permits in the interim period, shifting political agendas, changing socio-economic factors at national and local level, lack of resources and capacity to implement policy objectives, implementation delays and lack of clarity regarding implementation agencies. Insights from this analysis in relation to policy implementation theory and empirical studies are discussed. The paper concludes with proposals for addressing the mismatches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]