Tag Archives: Lawhill Maritime Centre

Weekly Press Review – 13 February 2017

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The fishing rights allocation process has once again made an appearance in the press this week with the news that proceedings in the Western Cape Court, focusing on a review into the allocation of rights to the inshore trawl fishery for hake and sole, have been postponed.

The postponement is due to Viking Inshore Fishing challenging DAFF Minister Senzeni Zokwana’s new criteria that reduced Viking’s fishing rights by 70 percent.

Another company facing challenges due to the fishing rights allocation process is BMC Fishing who claims it is being held to ransom by Minister Senzeni Zokwana over matters of fishing transformation that are at present before the court.

According to BMC director Lionel Brown, “The minister is the only person who can give the existing rights holders an exemption to catch fish. We are at the mercy of the minister who needs to make a decision.”

Zokwana’s spokeswoman, Bomikazi Molapo responded to this by saying that the minister was unable to issue fishing exemptions because the matter was still before the courts.

The immediate result of this is that the once bustling harbour of Mossel Bay is at a stand still and it would seem that the small quota rights holders are the ones paying the price.

This week it was announced that seafood giant Sea Harvest plans to list on the JSE by March this year.   According to the press the company says that it will raise R1.5 billion in capital through private placement with the proposed listing. This money will then be used to repay all debt and support the company’s organic growth and any future acquisitions.

Also make headlines this week is the announcement that the Two Ocean’s Aquarium in Cape Town has developed a marine sciences matric curriculum. The move is designed to attract young people to careers in the marine sciences field and also to protect invaluable ocean resources and coastline.

It is hoped that the new school subject would be piloted at Lawhill Maritime Centre in Simon’s Town next year.

Curriculum developer and Two Ocean senior teacher, Xavier Zylstra, said, “The ocean is an unexplored realm. If we get researchers in there, they will help to ensure the sustainability of its resources.”

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Weekly Press Review – 8 April 2016

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The maritime industry celebrated excellence this week with the South African Maritime Industry Awards hosted by Maritime Review Africa. Making headlines this week was the win for Brian Ingpen who won in the Maritime Maestro category.

The category recognises individuals within the maritime industry acting as ambassadors to promote development of the industry in a manner above and beyond their job description. 

 Lawhill Maritime Centre head Debbie Owen said, “Ingpen has, through his selfless dedication and remarkable vision, helped to establish the Lawhill Maritime Centre as a role model for schools-based maritime education in South Africa and the world.”

In response to his win Ingpen said, “ I am grateful for the award and this is a team effort from a number of people. It’s been an honour to be involved in something that is working very well.” 

 A find of R1.2 million worth of abalone on an Intercape bus also made headlines this week. Officers, acting on a tip-off searched the bus and found approximately 600kg of abalone hidden in boxes.

JP Smith, mayco member for Safety and Security said, “We hope the Hawks and SAPS urgently investigate the bus company.”

Intercape has issued a statement saying that management had been made aware of the incident.

Weekly Press Review – 2 August 2013

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Last week Brian Ingpen and nine students from Lawhill Maritime Centre boarded the SA Agulhas in Simon’s Town for a navigation training voyage from Simon’s Town to Cape Town. He shared this experience in his column in the Cape Times this week.

Lawhill students do many navigation exercises, but this outing on the SA Agulhas allowed them to see the markers that they have come to recognise in theory with their own eyes. One of the tasks that they were required to perform whilst on the vessel was an accurate bearing on Slanghoek Lighthouse from the bridgewing. Completing the task on a moving ship proved a little more difficult than expected, but the students completed the task and at the same time got a chance to take in the beautiful scenery along the False Bay coastline.

It is wonderful to reading a story of an old ship making an impact on the lives of a young students and giving them the chance to experience life at sea – even if it is only for a few hours. Perhaps some of these students will go on to create more positive news headlines for the industry in their future.