With stick and support, Danish Environmental Protection Agency

South African – Danish Environmental Co-operation

With stick and support

The new environmental consciousness in South Africa’s fishing industry is based on punishment for pollution and the possibility of making money, the same mixture that has been driving cleaner technology elsewhere

Everything is huge at Sea Harvest fisheries in Saldanha Bay, north of Cape Town, one of the largest fisheries in the world. Seventeen trawlers land between 500 and 600 tons of fish a day. Twenty-eight production lines convert the catch into 500 different deep-frozen products shipped all over the world.

No wonder that water consumption and discharges of organic waste amount to mind boggling figures as well. This has made Sea Harvest an obvious participant in the cleaner technology project launched by Danced and the fishing industry in 1999.

In the fishing industry, cleaner technology basically means two things: A reduction in water consumption and a more thorough stripping of the fish bones to make certain that less organic waste finds it way back to the sea. Here is money to save and money to make. So motivation has been high.

"We have brought down our monthly water bill of R120 000 by about 20 per cent. The target is a further reduction of 40 percent," says Hannes Terblanche, engineering manager for processing.

Wasted water on video

Terblanche’s office has a splendid view of the factory floor and examples of water waste. Our interview is occasionally interrupted when he points out a lack of discipline. Right under the window a man is busy with one of the classic sins. He is "using the water as a broom," as Terblanche put it. He explains that people will use a thick water jet to push a small piece of fish into the sluice channels running across the floor.

To make people more aware of their actions, Danced asked a consultant to video daily practices at the plant.

"It was not done to hit people with a long stick, but to show them how they handle water. It was meant as a shock treatment. But at the same time it was quite funny," says Terblanche.

In Denmark and other industrialized countries, the fishing industry had little respect for cleaner technology until fees on water and discharge skyrocketed as a result of increased environmental awareness. South Africa was no different, just some years behind in this regard.

"We lived in a world where we regarded water as being free. We only paid a little for the water coming into the factory," Terblanche explains.

In the near future, Sea Harvest will be forced to pay for its discharges as well. This will mean a noticeably higher water bill and further motivation to save water. The fees on pollution will be followed by new legislation and much tougher enforcement of the existing laws than industry has been used to.

Target is less waste

A range of cleaner technology projects is part of South Africa’s and Danced’s attempts to tackle waste in the largest possible context. Rather than just treating the waste, the idea is to minimize it in the first place. Apart from the fishing industry, Danced has targeted the textile industry and metal finishing industry, the latter known for heavily polluting practices such as galvanization. In all of these fields, Denmark has acquired expertise over the years.

An important part of the cleaner technology projects has been study tours to Denmark which in some cases have had a deep impact on the participants. At a textile industry function in Denmark, the chairman of one of South Africa’s leading textile companies said: "I have now realised how much I have polluted in my career. I’ll now go home and spend the rest of my life rectifying this. I have also learnt that cleaner technology can be good for business."

Terblanche found that technology and raw materials in most Danish fisheries are somewhat different from their South African counterparts. But he took note of the attitude towards the environment.

"Consultants usually come and tell you what you already know. But you get stagnant when you work with it every day. When you open up, you get a broader view," he says.

Terblanche uses the stick as well as motivation to bring down water consumption. Each production line has meters which are read daily and the readings then discussed weekly. If a given line has used more water per ton of fish than is considered necessary, the people in charge of the line better think fast.

"It has become a systematic thing. When we install new equipment now, the first thing we look at is water usage," says Terblanche.

In the fishing industry lower water consumption is also desirable for hygienic reasons. Standing water breeds bacteria. Sea Harvest has been faced with very stringent demands from international clients who want the fish produced in as dry an environment as possible.

"Danced’s input has pushed us in a direction where we would eventually have to go," says Terblanche.

Despite international pressure, the possibility of increased profit, and the certain prospects of tougher environmental legislation, it has far been far from smooth sailing to change the mindset of the South African fishing industry, says Seiersen: "They are 20 years behind Denmark when it comes to saving resources. But if they are willing, they can catch up in three to five years."

Seiersen thinks he has finally managed to convince the participating industries that cleaner technology is far more than a "technological fix". It’s all about working with attitudes and motivating the individual employee.

But, again according to Seiersen, the highly motivated engineers who are his direct contacts in the industry often have a difficult time convincing management of the need for change.

At the other end of the spectrum, the responsibility for implementing new practices often lies with low-wage workers whose education and motivation are not always geared for change.

"One major success for the project has been the fact that we have managed to keep it going while the fishing industry has gone through a very tough time," says Seiersen.

South Africa’s dramatically enhanced relations with the rest of the world since 1994 has meant tough competition to its own industry. At the same time, large fisheries have got smaller quotas as the new government has been eager to give a chance to new players from previously disadvantaged communities.

Tougher competition is reason enough for saving water and getting more products out of a smaller amount of fish. But savings often require investments. To get these going, Danced has promised to cover 20 percent of investments aimed at cleaner technology.

One of the first recipients was Marine Products Laaiplek which produces canned fish and fish meal. The factory was under pressure form two sides. A local tourist resort was complaining about pollution from the fisheries while import regulations in the European Union demanded cleaner technology from its suppliers to prevent unfair competition with Europe’s own producers. With assistance from Danced, Laaiplek is going to invest 1,6-million rands in cleaner technology over six years.

"Even though we were fighting for our survival, we had no choice but to clean up," Chris Gildenhuys, Laaiplek’s managing director, told a Danced-funded newsletter disseminating information about cleaner technology to the industry.