Reconstituting the CAF: Why Urgent Leadership Is Needed Now

The term of the Consultative Advisory Forum (CAF) under the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment ended on 30 October 2024. Since then, a critical advisory mechanism – designed to bridge government, industry, and civil society – has remained in limbo. At a time when South Africa’s ocean economy, fisheries sustainability, and environmental governance face mounting pressure, the absence of a fully constituted CAF is more than an administrative delay; it is a strategic gap that demands urgent ministerial attention.