Small-scale fishers oppose gas exploration off West Coast
Fisherfolk from the area said the explorations would affect their livelihood and they were never part of the decision-making process.
Picture: Pixabay.com
CAPE TOWN - Small-scale fishers from Port Nolloth have joined environmental justice organisations to launch a high court bid to stop French petrol giant TotalEnergies' from doing oil and gas exploration off the West Coast.
TotalEnergies is preparing to bring ten exploration drills to the deep-water orange basin near Port Nolloth.
Fisherfolk from the area said the explorations would affect their livelihood and they were never part of the decision-making process.
A fourth-generation fisher, Walter Steenkamp represents a small-scale fishing movement opposed to the exploration.
READ: Environmentalists launch court bid to halt TotalEnergies gas project off West Coast
"Everyone got his own piece and now they coming to the fishers for consulting us, but there was never consulting us from the beginning," Steenkamp said.
Steenkamp, who has been fishing for 36 years said he's witnessed ocean life declining due to the explorations.
"Our stock was going down... with all the surveying that was being done... looking for oil and gas... but we as fishers was never told about the explorations being done," he said.
Steenkamp fears small-scale fishing may no longer be a livelihood for the next generation.