Abstract

In 2004, artisanal fishers, community-based and non-governmental organisations representing ∼5,000 artisanal fishers from various fishing communities sought relief inter alia under the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 as a result of the unfair discrimination against them because of the fisheries legal framework. This case note focuses on this unique class action brought by the fishers in the Equality Court and the decisions resulting from the case. The relief sought by the fishers to remedy the discrimination and inequity was to compel the then Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to make proper and adequate provision for artisanal fishers in terms of the fisheries legal framework, giving them equitable access to marine resources alongside other marine resource users. This note evaluates the impact of the order of the Equality Court, as it served as the trigger to transform small-scale fisheries in South Africa. The note also discusses the human-rights-centred themes reflected in the South African Small-Scale Fisheries Policy and considers the extent to which this policy is aligned to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines of 2015.

摘要

2004年，个体渔民，社区和非政府组织的代表从不同的渔业社区约5000名个体渔民寻求救济特别根据 2000 年第 4 号《促进平等和防止不公平歧视法》，由于渔业法律框架对他们的不公平歧视。本案例说明重点介绍了由渔民在平等法院提起的这一独特的集体诉讼以及由此产生的裁决。渔民为纠正歧视和不平等而寻求的救济是迫使当时的环境事务和旅游部长根据渔业法律框架为个体渔民做出适当和充分的规定，让他们与其他海洋资源一起平等地获得海洋资源。资源用户。本说明评估了平等法院命令的影响，因为它触发了南非小规模渔业的转型。