SA Abalone CITES Impact Dashboard

Economic Impact Analysis of CITES Appendix II Listing

ROI: 1,173%Payback: 0.4 years
Critical Industry Consultation Gap
No meaningful consultation with the legal abalone farming industry has occurred despite massive economic impact

Legal Industry at Risk

  • 13 commercial farms + 5 ranches producing 3,200 tonnes annually
  • R3.2 billion investment at risk without proper consultation
  • Hundreds of coastal jobs dependent on viable legal operations

Historical CITES Failure (2007-2010)

  • Previous listing withdrawn due to severe impact on legal farmers
  • Export delays made live abalone unviable - primary legal export format
  • Legal farmers threatened legal action over business disruption

Urgent Action Required

The Abalone Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA) represents the legal industry but has not been meaningfully consulted. The legal farming industry - South Africa's largest aquaculture sector by value - faces the same regulatory burden as illegal operators despite being the conservation success story providing sustainable production while wild stocks recover.

Executive Summary
Key findings from the South African Abalone CITES Appendix II listing economic impact analysis

Current Market Crisis

  • 77% illegal trade dominance - Only 640 tonnes of 2,840 total trade is legal
  • R2.8B annual revenue loss to illegal channels undermining legitimate industry
  • R678M tax revenue foregone annually due to illegal trade operations

CITES Solution Impact

  • 1,173% ROI with 0.4-year payback period on R55M annual compliance investment
  • 63.6% illegal trade reduction projected within 5 years (2,200 → 800 tonnes)
  • 1,400 new jobs created with 50% employment growth (2,800 → 4,200 positions)

Strategic Recommendation

Immediate CITES Appendix II listing implementation is economically justified with exceptional returns and critical for industry survival.

R5.55B
5-Year Net Benefit (NPV)
Current Legal Market Share
23%

640 tonnes annually

Projected Legal Share (Year 5)
56%

1,000 tonnes annually

Industry Revenue Growth
53.8%

R1.2B → R1.8B annually

Employment Growth
50%

2,800 → 4,200 jobs

Current Market Structure
Legal vs Illegal Trade Distribution
Legal Trade Volume640 tonnes
Illegal Trade Volume2,200 tonnes
Revenue LeakageR2.8B annually
Historical Trade Trends (2018-2024)
Legal vs Illegal Dried Abalone Trade
Industry Structure & Capacity
Production facilities and geographic distribution

Total Facilities

18

13 Abalone Farms + 5 Ranches

Production Capacity

3,200

tonnes annually

Current Employment

3,050

direct and indirect jobs

Annual Revenue

R1.2B

from legal trade