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The Department of Sea Fisheries says fishermen, who were refused line fishing rights, can apply for exemptions pending the outcome of an appeals process.
The Department said on Tuesday that it had met with Traditional Line Fish Associations of South Africat after many of their members were denied fishing rights.
The new fishing rights were allocated after their permits expired on the 31st of December.
Fishers earlier threatened civil disobedience over the process - which they claimed was unfair.
