In the heart of the picturesque Garden Route, where ancient forests meet the tumultuous embrace of the Indian Ocean, a quiet revolution is unfolding. 

The Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (MPA), once a symbol of exclusion for local communities, is now the epicentre of a vibrant movement to reignite a dying culture of angling, breathing new life into traditions that stretch back generations.

Established in 1964, the Tsitsikamma MPA holds the distinction of being Africa’s oldest marine protected area. 

For decades, its waters were a sanctuary where marine life flourished, but at a cost to the coastal communities whose livelihoods and heritage were intrinsically linked to the sea.

While good for fish stocks, this strict conservation approach unintentionally widened the gap between the park and its surrounding communities. This resulted in conflicts and a decline in traditional fishing methods.

During a media excursion organised by the South African National Parks (SANParks), Tsitsikamma National Park Manager Pat Bopape recalled that the benefit of the MPA to the community was that it was a no-take zone for some time.

“And during that time, local anglers who were making use of the area to fish were unable to do so.” 

This restriction meant that a skill passed down through families, a way of life, slowly began to fade.

However, the tide began to turn. Recognising the importance of community involvement, regulations were changed to permit controlled fishing within three designated coastal zones.

This shift marked a pivotal moment, transforming the NPA from a “symbol of restriction” into a “place of stewardship for communities,” according to Bopape.

At the heart of this renaissance is the ‘anglers programme’, a collaborative initiative that bridges the generational gap and empowers the youth.

Twenty-two young people from surrounding communities were chosen for the programme.

“The anglers programme is basically young children from the communities that were selected and that were trained by older and more experienced anglers on how to fish,” Bopape explains. 

“They just teach them how to fish and also to transfer skills to them… this programme provides not only invaluable practical knowledge, but also essential equipment and protective gear, ensuring participants can safely and effectively engage in their newfound passion.

“The rationale is that if we are teaching them to fish, obviously we must provide them with necessary equipment so that they are able to catch the fish,” Bopape adds.

Henrico Bruiners, a former chairperson of the Tsitsikamma Angling Community Forum, shares a deeply personal connection to this revitalisation. 

“I was born in this area close to the Tsitsikamma area. I grew up along the sea with my father, who taught me fishing skills,” he recounts. 

His ancestors, he emphasises, “have a very close relationship with the sea, and before the proclamation of the park in 1964, the community used to have their boats here and we used to fish here. This whole area was opened.”

The abrupt change in 2000, when the entire area was proclaimed a protected zone, galvanised the community. 

“So we organised ourselves at the forum, which was established in 1994, and the main purpose of it was to start negotiations with the relevant authorities so that we have access to the sea, so that we have livelihoods to get something to the table,” Bruiners explains. 

It was a long and arduous process, but access was finally granted in 2016, with three controlled access areas.

Today, the spirit of collaboration is palpable. Elders are enthusiastically passing down their fishing knowledge to the youth, who in turn gain the invaluable opportunity to obtain their fishing licenses. 

Beyond the cultural preservation, the re-establishment of fishing access has tangible benefits. “Twenty percent of the area was open to them so that they could fish, and the benefit to that is they can feed their families and practice their heritage and culture,” Bopape said.

For these communities, fishing is not merely a recreational activity; it is a vital means of sustenance and a profound connection to their roots. 

“Fishing for them is not just an activity, but the access to the MPA also provides them with an opportunity to feed their families.”

Bruiners acknowledges a new challenge: a decline in the number of active anglers due to an aging population. 

“There is now a decline in the anglers that are going down to the sea because they are getting older, so we need areas that are more convenient and comfortable to accommodate the elderly so they can have access to.”

However, he remains optimistic about the future, especially with the renewed focus on engaging the youth. 

“We get fish on the table to add to our livelihoods, and we are getting our youngsters to cultivate and inculcate the skill of angling because the culture of fishing and angling is disappearing because it was closed for many years; thus, it’s slowly dying.”

The consequences of this cultural decline are far-reaching. 

“Youngsters don’t have many recreational activities within the communities they live in… so they get involved in criminal activities and teenage pregnancies, etc.,” Bruiners says.

But he sees a powerful antidote in the angling programme.

“If they are exposed to cultivating the sense of conserving nature, our youngsters will grow up to reignite the culture of angling.”

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za

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