Traceable, storied seafood
Thank you for partnering with small-scale fishers on a journey to rebuilding their fisheries.
Here's the Story behind your seafood ...
Who?
Theunis Newman
Theunis Newman hails from a family of traditional fishers spanning at least five generations. The family are originally from a small fishing village called Skipskop, but were forcibly displaced from their ancestral fishing grounds during apartheid. They subsequently settled in the fishing community of Struisbaai. Theunis has been fishing for over 40 years and is a well-known and respected traditional skipper. Theunis's wife, Miemie, plays an important role managing all the pre- and post-harvest processes of the family's fishing operations.
Since 2018, Theunis has helped lead the co-innovation of ABALOBI technology and pioneer the Fish With A Story movement to help South Africans rethink their relationship with seafood – for healthier oceans and ocean communities.
What?
Cape Bream
Cape bream (Pachymetopon blochii) is a species of sea bream native to the South Western coast of Africa, from Angola to Cape Agulhas at the Southern tip of South Africa. It inhabits kelp beds on shallow rocky reefs, as well as subtidal reefs and offshore pinnacles in deeper waters and blinders nearer the shore. It is an important species in a variety of small-scale fisheries.
Carpenter (Silver)
Silvers (Argyrozona argyrozona) are migratory, schooling fish associated with rocky reefs and bottoms. They are an endemic species caught between Cape Agulhas and the Great Kei River at depths shallower that 110 m. Traditional line-fishers catch silvers as part of the basket of species that they harvest for their livelihoods.
Yellowtail
Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) are fast-growing, schooling fish that undertake seasonal migrations. Their populations are considerded healthy and sustainably harvested. These fish are caught close to shore in the western and south-western Cape.
"Fishing is part of my heritage and tradition. It is our responsibility to conserve our fish, to ensure that the next generations can catch the same amount we catch."
Where?
Struisbaai
Struisbaai is a well-known traditional fishing village on the southern tip of Africa. Small-scale fishers here are mainly traditional linefishers operating from wooden 'chukkies'. Species include local reef fish, and migratory species such as Yellowtail. ABALOBI fishers in Struisbaai are pioneering a world-first community-level Fishery Improvement Programme to drive social, economic and ecological sustainability and build resilient fisheries for the future.
"Our family's traditional boat first belonged to my father. He was one of those people who was simply content with everything, so he named the boat Weltevrede."
How?
Traditional handline
Vessel: This catch was landed on the traditional wooden chukkie, Weltevrede
Number of crew: 5
Method: Traditional hand-line is a highly selective fishing practice that uses a single hook and line without a rod and reel
"Thank you for supporting the livelihoods of fishers who have a relationship with the sea – the sea that feeds us, the sea that heals us, the sea that is the core of our lives."
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Fish With A Story is fully traceable, local seafood harvested by small-scale fishermen and women using low-impact fishing methods.
This ethical seafood is ecologically responsible and socially fair.
Fish With A Story is powered by ABALOBI – a South African-based, global organisation seeking to elevate small-scale fishing communities through the co-innovation of Technology For Good.
