Environmental prosecutors, police detectives and compliance officials gathered in KwaZulu-Natal to strengthen coordinated enforcement protecting South Africa’s marine resources from organised environmental crime.
Prosecutors, South African Police Service (SAPS) detectives, Environmental Management Inspectors, Fishery Control Officers and members of the Coastal Marine Task Force have begun a two-day training programme aimed at strengthening environmental law enforcement and improving prosecution outcomes.
Opening the programme in Scottburgh, KwaZulu-Natal, Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Narend Singh said stronger collaboration across the entire enforcement chain is essential to protecting South Africa’s marine and coastal resources.
The training brings together investigators, prosecutors and compliance officials to improve cooperation from the point of detecting environmental offences through to successful prosecutions in court.
The Deputy Minister said recent reports of illegal East Coast rock lobster sales along the KwaZulu-Natal coast highlight the need for coordinated action against organised environmental crime.
He noted that illegal harvesting, transport and sale of marine resources threaten biodiversity, undermine legitimate fishing livelihoods and weaken respect for environmental laws.
The programme focuses on building stronger partnerships between investigators and prosecutors by improving evidence preservation, case preparation, charge-sheet development and courtroom readiness.
Participants will also strengthen their understanding of legislation covering marine living resources, biodiversity protection, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, forestry offences, mining compliance, municipal environmental enforcement and Marine Protected Areas.
The training follows encouraging enforcement results recorded between April and June 2026. Joint operations opened six case dockets under the Marine Living Resources Act, led to nine arrests and issued 22 admission-of-guilt fines totalling R42 000.
Authorities also confiscated 352 linefish valued at approximately R176 000, East Coast rock lobster worth R31 500 and 47 illegal gillnets valued at R21 150.
While welcoming these outcomes, Singh acknowledged ongoing challenges including illegal gillnetting, environmental offences in sensitive coastal areas and increasingly complex investigations involving undocumented foreign nationals.
He said effective environmental protection depends not only on arrests and confiscations but on successful prosecutions that deter future offences and safeguard natural resources for future generations.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted government’s continued support for lawful coastal livelihoods through the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy, which has allocated long-term fishing rights to 172 cooperatives representing around 10 000 fishers.
He said robust environmental enforcement helps create a fair operating environment for legitimate fishing communities while protecting South Africa’s marine ecosystems.
The training concludes with participants expected to strengthen professional networks, improve investigative standards and enhance coordinated environmental enforcement across the country.
