Proposed establishment of a panel of experts to advise on the proposed fishing-area closures adjacent to South Africa’s African penguin breeding colonies

I, Barbara Dallas Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, hereby give notice of my intention to establish a panel of experts including international experts in terms of section 3A of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA), to advise on the proposed closure of fishing areas adjacent to South Africa’s African Penguin breeding colonies and the decline in the penguin population (the Panel).

The Panel’s Terms of Reference and expected scope of work are set out in the schedule to this notice. Panel – members will be remunerated in accordance with the Republic’s Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No.1 of 1999) and the associated Treasury Regulations, in consultation with the Minister of Finance for this panel’s proposed work.

Members of the public are invited to nominate individual persons, to be considered for appointment as members of the Panel, who are suited to serve by virtue of qualifications, expertise and experience including being appropriately academically qualified and/or who hold an appropriate level of practical expertise on the subject – matter and the work set out in the Terms of Reference.

The selection criteria will include the following:

• advanced post-graduate degrees in fisheries and/or ecosystem mathematical models or marine ecology.
• demonstrated expert scientific or policy contributions through peer-reviewed publications for at least a period of 10 years and experience in making science-based policy recommendations in environmental management, preferably in marine conservation; and
• prior experience in serving on a review panel would be an added advantage.

Nominations must comprise a brief covering motivational letter together with a comprehensive curriculum vitae of the nominee, their current employment status and contact details (including telephone number and email).

All nominations must be in writing and must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the publication of this notice in the Gazette, to the following addresses:

By post to: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Attention: Dr Ashley Naidoo Private Bag X4390 CAPE TOWN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 8002

By hand at: Foretrust Building, Martin Hammerschlag Way, Foreshore, Cape Town, South Africa, 8001

By email: marinespecies@dffe.gov.za