| Summary: | Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the scale of marine poaching in the Table Mountain
National Park by analysing the amounts of South African abalone, West Coast rock lobster, and
shellfish, finfish and bait species confiscated from fishers operating in the park’s marine protected
area between 2000 and 2009. The research objectives were fourfold, namely to strengthen
conceptual frameworks on illegal harvesting in protected areas; identify the quantities of the
various species seized by park officials over the decadal period; cartographically plot the areas in
which confiscations took place; and distinguish the different resource users and stakeholders
operating in the park and examine the roles they play in resource exploitation. Data was collected
from offence logbooks maintained by SANParks rangers and managers, and from records kept by
Marine and Coastal Management and the South African Police Services. GIS outputs indicated
seizure events over the spatial area of the park. Further data relating to the levels of poaching was
sourced from illegal fishers operating in the park who discussed their operations candidly.
The research findings indicate that poaching of both abalone and rock lobsters has increased
significantly over time. Other marine species show lesser amounts of resources poached over the
ten-year period. Spatial outcomes suggest that confiscations of abalone occur predominantly on the
east coast of the park, while higher seizure events occur on the west coast for lobsters. Shellfish,
finfish and bait species were confiscated in equal amounts from illegal fishers on both the east and
west coasts. Future research recommended includes garnering further confiscations data from the
police services and undertaking contemporary baseline assessments to discover the effects
poaching has had on the resource base since the previous stock assessment in 2001. The challenge
laid out for the custodians of the Table Mountain National Park marine protected area is to provide
and protect cultural and environmental resources, without compromising biodiversity management,
community associations and conservation strategies. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die skaal van marienebronstroping in die Tafelberg Nasionale
Park te bepaal deur middel van die ontleding van die hoeveelhede Suid-Afrikaanse perlemoen,
Weskus-kreef en skulpvis, vinvis en aasspesies wat vanaf oortreders (2000 tot 2009), gekonfiskeer
is. Die doel van die navorsing was viervoudig naamlik, die versterking van die navorser se
konseptuele-basis rondom die stroping van hulpbronne in beskermde gebiede; die bepaling van die
hoeveelhede en tipe spesies wat deur parkbeamptes in beslag geneem is; die plekke waar
konfiskasies plaasgevind het; en om die verskillende hulpbron gebruikers en belanghebbendes te
onderskei en hulle rolle in die mariene-hulpbron benutting te ondersoek. Primêre konfiskasie-data
is verkry vanaf SANparke se logboeke wat deur beamptes instandgehou is en sekondêre data is
verskaf deur Mariene en Kusbestuur en die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Beslagleggingsgebeure
is dmv GIS tegnologie op kaarte vasgelê. Verdere inligting oor die vlakke van stroping is bekom
deur openhartige gesprekvoering met vissers wat onwettig in die park bedrywig is.
Die navorsing het bevind dat die stropery van perlemoen en kreef met die verloop van tyd
aansienlik toegeneem het. Ander mariene spesies het kleiner hoeveelhede stropery van die
hulpbron oor die studietydperk aangetoon. Ruimtelike voorstellings toon dat perlemoen-stropery
hoofsaaklik aan die ooskus van die park voorkom, terwyl groter beslagleggings/konfiskerings van
kreef aan die weskus van die park plaasgevind het. Skulpvis, vinvis en aasspesies is gekonfiskeer
by vissers wat onwettig bedrywig is in ewe groot hoeveelhede op beide die ooskus en die weskus.
Toekomstige navorsing moet meer inligting oor beslagleggings van die polisie bekom en die
kontemporêre basislynassesserings moet meer gereeld onderneem word om veral die effek van
stropery op die hulpbron bloot te lê. Die laaste basislyn-assessering het in 2001 plaasgevind. Die
uitdaging voor die bewaarders van die park se marienebeskermde gebiede is om kulturele en
omgewingshulpbronne toeganklik vir alle gebruikers te maak maar dit ter selfder tyd ook te
beskerm, sonder om biodiversiteit, gemeenskapassosiasies en bewaring strategieë te
kompromitteer.
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