Born on the Rocks - Communities and conservation in crisis

"Tsitsikamma" is the name given to an area located between the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Eight different communities reside next to the coastline in the Tsitiskamma. They have a long and rich history... [ view full abstract ]

"Tsitsikamma" is the name given to an area located between the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Eight different communities reside next to the coastline in the Tsitiskamma. They have a long and rich history that connects their customary practices, food security and culture with the ocean. The coastline has come to mean more to the local people than just a source of food, it's a way of life. They describe themselves as being "Born on the rocks" of the coast.  The Tsitsikamma National Park was created in 1964, with permit conditions limiting local people to certain areas and requiring that they purchase a permit in order to fish. In 2000 all communities effectively lost their rights to angle following the declaration of the "no-take" Marine Protected Area (MPA). The "no-take" zoning was declared following the collapse of the line fishery stock in South Africa. The MPA cut off all eight indigenous communities from accessing their ancestral fishing areas or entering the National Park via their traditional routes. Access was restricted to a single entry point located midway within the 80km stretch of coastline. No consultation was done with the community and their needs and customary practices were left unconsidered. According to the 2011 census data, there are 5,434 people currently affected by the closure of the coastal area. This has lead to an increase in food insecurity, alcohol and drug abuse. Following pressure from local stakeholders the area was rezoned and declared in the Government Gazette 40511 in terms of section 22A of the South African National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 on the 19th of December 2016. The change in regulation allowed for three coastal control zones to be reopened for the benefit of local anglers. But without proper consultation, the local fishers find access to the coastline difficult, the zones are situated far from the communities, often requiring a vehicle to travel to the entry point. Fishing is only allowed four times a month, there are strict entry and exit times, bag limits and children are not allowed to go with their parents down to the coast. This greatly restricts families and prevents the tradition of parents from sharing intergenerational knowledge and conservation values with their children. The 2016 implementation of the MPA zones was done without consultation with the local community and this film explores the disconnect between community and the park management.