Legislation: Aquaculture Development Bill revived

The 2018 Aquaculture Development Bill has been revived, having lapsed at the end of the previous Parliament, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. Given that marine aquaculture was identified for accelerated development under government’s ‘operation phakisa’ initiative, it is rather surprising that the Bill was never formally considered by the National Assembly Committee responsible at the time. Among other things, it seeks to more ‘coherently’ regulate marine and freshwater aquaculture activities – and to promote diversity, not only among the species farmed but also in terms of the technology and methodology used as well as the scale of industry operations.

Other imperatives addressed in the proposed new statute include the more effective management and control of aquatic diseases; the development of domestically and internationally commercially competitive enterprises that are ecologically, socially and economically sustainable; promoting the small-scale farming of indigenous fish species as a reliable source of income; providing ‘appropriate support services’; and sector-wide transformation. Somewhat elaborate institutional and governance arrangements are proposed in that context, along with a more streamlined licensing system.