Green Marine Angling Guides

As our marine resources continue to dwindle and an increasing number of subsistence fishers are forced out of work, communities and conservation organizations alike are searching for alternative means for the provision of sustainable livelihoods. Workable solutions to this global crisis, however, have been difficult to define and the problem has remained seemingly insurmountable.

In response to our own local fisheries crisis, SASC has developed the Green Marine Angling Guide Programme (GMAGP) - a programme designed to provide a multi-pronged solution to these issues through job creation and the provision of a unique and environmentally friendly toursim operation.

The GMAGP provides training to unemployed subsistence fishermen - simultaneously training them in marine conservation and tourism, enabling them to become angling guides for visitor's to our shoreline. The training programme includes topics such as fish biology and ecology, conservation, responsible and sustainable bait collection, size restrictions and the environment in general.

The entrepreneurial skills and knowledge gained through the GMAGP encourages fishers to become service providers in their own right. Using firsthand experience, these angling guides can take advantage of South Africa's growing ecotourism industry, thereby earning a sustainable income and becoming empowered members of their community. Knowledge transfer between tourists and angling guides will encourage a great sense of stewardship for the marine environment.

This programme is also designed to promote the Overstrand Region as a leader in the development of alternative conservation-based livelihoods, creating workable and sustainable solutions to employment issues.