Aquaculture & Mariculture

Port Nolloth’s mariculture industry is expected to expand significantly in the short term.

South Africa’s environment minister announced in 2007 that the country had paid about R700-million for  imported fish between 2000 and 2004. A number of government initiatives were then put in place to reverse this trend, by producing more fish in South Africa. This would not only improve food security but also provide employment opportunities.

The Northern Cape is blessed with excellent conditions for shore-based mariculture. A 313km coastline on a nutrient-rich, unpolluted ocean combines with the existence of infrastructure provided for the diamond industry (now in decline) to create ideal conditions for the growth of this important sector. It will provide food and employment.

The national Department of Science and Technology (DST) has described the town of Hondeklip Bay as having the excellent conditions. A joint venture by the DST, the Fishing and Mariculture Development Agency (FAMDA) and HIK Abalone is running an abalone project in the coastal town, supported by an abalone-basket manufacturing micro enterprise, with the intention of producing 120 metric tons of abalone for sale. The coastline of the Northern Cape has 2 000 hectares of kelp beds, all of which are suitable for the cultivation of abalone.

Kelp itself is another product that has enormous potential, with growing domestic and international demand making investment in such projects a very attractive proposition.

The Northern Cape provincial government has invested R20- million in the development of a mariculture park at Port Nolloth.

Students from Hondeklip Bay and Port Nolloth were enrolled at the University of Stellenbosch for relevant certificate courses and the John Ovenstone factory is now the site of small-scale hatcheries for abalone and oysters.

Local demand for oysters has grown enormously in recent years and as the country’s reputation for oyster production grows, so will its export demand.





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