South Africa goes all out to protect cetaceans, suspends coastal octopus fishing operations

November 9, 2024 – South Africa’s Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Cressy, has said that a moratorium on octopus fishing off the country’s coasts will be in place from November 15 in order to protect large marine mammals such as cetaceans. September 27-29 is the annual “Whale Festival” in the South African coastal town of Hermanus, however, in recent years, by the deterioration of the ecological environment and human activities, the survival of whales has been seriously threatened, and this year’s “Whale Festival” even This year’s “Whale Festival” even became a festival with few whales visiting, a worrying phenomenon. Against this backdrop, the South African government’s initiatives to protect marine life have become increasingly urgent and necessary.