Why are state departments and the game industry always at loggerheads?
The authorities don’t recognise wildlife ranchers as agriculturists. Farmers who sell or hunt game on their properties can’t benefit from land tax rebates or drought relief even though many run mixed livestock/game enterprises. Government doesn’t offer us subsidies or rebates for environmental conservation either. They insists on Draconian laws to control wildlife ranching without consulting stakeholders, while Eskom, the mining industry and municipalities seem not to be controlled in terms of destroying the environment.
Also, the government seems blissfully unaware of the economic advantages of the Eastern Cape. It has seven of South Africa’s eight biomes, accommodates about 45 huntable species, has a pleasant climate, a malaria-free status and borders on the well-known Garden Route. It’s a popular destination for hunters and ecotourists from the northern hemisphere.
How do you feel about accusations that ranches are playing fields for the rich and don’t produce food?
In the Eastern Cape, game ranches make up only 15% of the total area of commercial farming land. But ranches bring in revenue which reaches into many sectors of the economy. According to Camdeboo Meat Processors in Graaff-Reinet, the Eastern Cape exported 845t of venison last year, worth R50 million, while 1 000t consumed locally generated an additional R35 million. Nearly 250 000 game animals were utilised in some way – either by being hunted or captured and relocated. Taxidermists handled 17 500 trophies worth more than R30 million. International hunters bagged 150 000 animals and spent R220 million. At the same time, 75 000 ecotourists spent more than R100 million.
What industry improvements would you like to see?
My wish list is long. Revenue from international hunting and BEE in ecotourism has improved skills transfer and income in the sector, but due to official management, there’s been little progress in grants to wildlife ranching. Permits are another big worry. Regular meetings between the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and the Eastern Cape International Hunting Outfitters Organisation are held to iron out trophy export permit bottlenecks. The Professional Hunters Association of SA (PHASA) has officially asked the DEAT minister if Wildlife Ranching SA or the East Cape Game Management Association (ECGMA) can handle permits.
The Threatened or Protected Species (Tops) regulations are supposed to protect specific game species, but the opposite seems to be happening particularly in the case of black wildebeest. These animals are being increasingly culled because landowners are fed-up with costly permit applications. Black wildebeest feature in the Tops regulations not because of declining numbers, but to “maintain their purity”. No rancher would ever cross black wildebeest with blue wildebeest for the simple reason that such hybrids have no trophy value. Black wildebeest should be taken off the Tops list immediately to protect them.
The lack of state wildlife research is slowing progress. Individuals and wildlife organisations will have to identify research projects, find the finance and seek institutions to conduct the necessary studies. We’ll have to help ourselves. One example is that, after consultation with the game management and zoological faculties of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, kudu research is being resumed, after it was stopped by the agriculture department in 1995 for no apparent reason. PHASA is also working to lift the ban on the export of Cape mountain zebra products to the US.
Fencing laws need to be revised. The new stipulations for an adequate enclosure certificate raise the question whether such costly and stringent requirements are really needed for normal plains game. In a nutshell, rather than legislation, our industry desperately needs mutual respect and consensus on what works and what doesn’t. Government should engage more with commercial stakeholders who have the practical know-how, instead of only listening to academic idealists who don’t always understand the complexities of wildlife as a commercial resource. The DEAT, in particular, has obvious capacity problems and must realise that ill-conceived permit and gun entry laws negatively affect the industry. Hunting clients can, and do, hunt elsewhere in the world.
Why is there a ban on Cape mountain zebra products in the US?
Their numbers have dwindled due to neglect and culling caused by competition with sheep farming. To protect them from extinction, the US has prohibited any Cape mountain zebra products. The ban will only be lifted on the basis of favourable scientific data regarding this zebra’s population status.
Describe the development of game ranching in the Eastern Cape.
The industry began in the 1970s, and the switch from stock farming to game ranching accelerated through 1990 to 1994. The bigger-is-better trend is normal in any industry, and also makes sense in terms of hunting because foreigners prefer to visit big ranches. After 40 years of expansion, without much help from the state, game ranching is a mature national industry.
There’s a venison processing plant in almost every town, taxidermists, live capturing operations, trophy export agents and other subsidiary industries across the province. Business people from the cities have made a valuable contribution to the industry by investing huge amounts in game, infrastructure and skills. But they’ve also realised that farming is not for sissies. They’ve seen what it takes to make a ranch an economic unit. International hunting marketing costs include about R300 000 per outfit, setup, species introductions and land prices, all of which makes ranching an expensive exercise.
How has the global economic meltdown affected the local game industry?
Although the international marketing season is still in progress, 75% of the hunts were already sold last year before the crunch. But with some clients either shortening their wish list of trophies or postponing until 2010, the number of international hunters could drop by 10% to 15% in the 2009 season. The market could however pick up again next year, although bookings at this stage are slower than usual. The World Cup is likely to cause airport congestion in June and July, which could be bad for us.
Kudu hunting could be affected by last year’s drought, which caused high mortalities during July, August and September before 30mm of rain swelled the spekboom veld. Duiker, bushbuck and grysbok have shown no signs of ill-health though.
What are the prospects for venison?
Farmers are continually forced to look for new, more profitable markets. One of these is intensive venison production from species such as impala and springbok on irrigated pastures, resembling deer meat production in New Zealand and parts of the US. Europe and the US are traditionally venison consumers and have the infrastructure to import from us. Currently, venison prices vary around R15/kg to R22/kg depending on culling methods. Prices should increase as our rand depreciates.
What’s your view about stock farmers who blame game ranchers for the increase in black-backed jackal and caracal?
Predators don’t only bother livestock farmers – they have a huge impact on wildlife reproduction. That’s why I support suggestions for the reintroduction of a bounty system. The idea is to divide the province (including national and provincial parks) into blocks of 250 000ha. Landowners could then pay about R1,50/ha per annum to fund the bounty of R500 per predator presented. Municipal statutory powers could be used to collect the money needed to operate the scheme.
What can be done about poaching in your industry?
A recent case where poachers – allegedly policemen and teachers – were arrested, shows how serious this offence is. With nothing in place to take over from the disbanded commandos, landowners will have to form their own units to protect themselves and their animals. Contact Arthur Rudman on 083 280 1335 or [email protected] or visit www.blaauwkrantz.com. |fw
