FAHB Update: February 2020

As many of you are aware, the Oceana fishmeal factory has not been in production since January 2019. Since then, there has been a lot of speculation about what has been happening and FAHB would like to confirm that the factory has been closed.

While no official announcements have been made by Oceana or the City, and no official date has been given about when exactly the factory closed, Oceana’s 2019 annual report states that ‘a strategic decision was taken to close the Hout Bay fishmeal operations’. The closure directly impacted 58 employees, 40 of which were redeployed in other areas within Oceana. In a follow up conversation with Oceana, it was confirmed that there were multiple reasons for the closure including changes to the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) regulations and changes to conditions within the Atmospheric Emissions License (AEL). Over the next few months, plant equipment will be systematically moved out of the space, and this process has already started as cranes began to dismantle parts of the roof and stacks over the weekend.

What will happen in the harbour now?

As far as we understand, there are no immediate plans for what will happen in the harbour. Oceana’s lease will expire at the end of 2020, during which time they will clean and clear out the space. The National Department of Public Works (DPW) controls all lease agreements in the harbour, and there is currently no clarity on what their intentions for development are.

We do know that discussions about a broader harbour development plan have been taking place, following the motion to ‘re-imagine Hout Bay harbour.’ As discussed in the Sentinel article from September 2019, there are plans to create employment in Hout Bay by turning the harbour into a mixed development including housing, training facilities, ocean-economy enterprises, a fish market, and tourism-related businesses. No further information is yet available regarding the status of these plans or the type of developments scheduled to take place.

Aside from these plans, Oceana’s annual report also says they have invested in a multi-million Rand development in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) to establish the Oceana Maritime Academy in Hout Bay. This academy is still being developed and Oceana will provide further announcements regarding this.

What will happen to Fresh Air for Hout Bay?

As the air emissions from Oceana have stopped, FAHB’s work has come to an end.

Since our formation in 2014, FAHB has always believed the harbour holds enormous potential to meet the needs of the local community, while also respecting the beauty of the natural environment. We have consistently advocated for a sustainable harbour development plan to be put in place and it’s hard to believe that after more than five years of advocacy and persistence, this plan might finally be in sight.

The journey has been a long and difficult one. Over the years we have consistently tried to provide accurate information and updates, while also trying to bring balance and understanding to the complexity of this deeply emotional social issue. This has not always been easy but we hope that we have helped people to gain more understanding and compassion about how issues are experienced by different people, and to be reminded that we all want to live a community that promotes our positive growth and well-being.

While the end of the noxious emissions marks a huge step forward for progressive and sustainable development in Hout Bay, the closure of the factory is also the end of an era. It is important to appreciate that many people have been affected in this process, particularly those from Hangberg, not only in terms of a change in employment, but also because of the long legacy of fisherman that have worked at the factory. It is our sincerest hope that the new harbour development plan will take this into account and ensure that these local people have the greatest access to any opportunities that come in the future. All people must have equal access to development opportunities, particularly those from disadvantaged communities, and we hope that you will champion this idea with your own political constituencies going forward.

We would like to thank everyone for all the support you have shown us over the years, from subscribing to our website, filling in affidavits, registering complaints, engaging with the City, and helping to raise awareness about the impact of the emissions. Your contributions have been an important demonstration of our collective voice, reminding us that we not only have the right to participate in local governance, but we also the responsibility to ensure constitutional obligations are being acted on. We believe that your participation in this process has helped to strengthen our democratic processes of participation, and serves as an important reminder of the capacity of civil society to affect change within their communities.

While FAHB will continue to track the development in the harbour, this is likely to be the last official post that we will make on the website.

Thank you again to everyone and may our beautiful community to thrive!

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If you have any questions regarding this update or information or ideas you would like to share, please feel free to get in touch.