NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BIODIVERSITY ACT 10 OF 2004: REPUBLICATION OF THE DRAFT LIST OF THREATENED OR PROTECTED TERRESTRIAL SPECIES AND FRESHWATER SPECIES, RESTRICTED ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE PROHIBITED, AND RESTRICTED ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO BE EXEMPTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
Notice Title: National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (“NEMBA”): Republication of the draft list of threatened or protected terrestrial species and freshwater species, restricted activities that are proposed to be prohibited, and restricted activities that are proposed to be exempted for public comment
Government Notice: GN 3963 in GG 49470 on 12 October 2023
Commencing date: Comments to be submitted on or before 10 November 2023
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, in terms of sections 56(1), 57(2), 57(4), read with sections 99 and 100 of the NEMBA, republished, for public comment the —
(a) draft list of threatened or protected terrestrial species and freshwater species;
(b) restricted activities that are proposed to be prohibited; and
(c) restricted activities that are proposed to be exempted.
Some of the key issues that are addressed in draft TOPS list, include the following:
(a) Inclusion of species that are threatened by restricted activities;
(b) Deletion of species that do not meet the criteria for the listing of species;
(c) Inclusion of species included in Appendix I of CITES, in order to address lacking provisions to prohibit trade in imported specimens of species included in Appendix I; and
(d) Inclusion of species that are likely to cause hybridisation, as protected species, in order to regulate specific restricted activities relevant to hybridisation.
The draft TOPS list, once promulgated, will repeal and replace the TOPS list, 2007.
Members of the public are invited to submit written comments and inputs on or before 10 November 2023. For a copy of the Government Gazette Notice click here.
For more information or assistance please contact Jan Nel at jan@shangoni.co.za.
