Help us stop the odour pollution from the Oceana fishmeal factory in Hout Bay and transform our community into one that thrives.

Fresh Air for Hout Bay (FAHB), a group of concerned residents and friends of Hout Bay, share the following beliefs:

• All people have the right to live in a healthy and positive environment and should not be forced to compromise their environment to meet their basic needs.
• The odour pollution emitted from Oceana’s fishmeal factory negatively impacts the health, well-being, and socio-economics of people in Hout Bay.
• Alternative enterprises need to be found that meet the needs of local communities and contribute to a positive environment. 

The odour pollution emitted from the Oceana fishmeal factory in Hout Bay undermines our Constitutional right to live in an environment that is conducive to our health and well-being.

The odour pollution has an impact on many areas of life including health, well-being, economic stability, tourism and business development, and social cohesion. While these concerns have been experienced and expressed for over 20 years, insufficient efforts have been made by the City of Cape Town, the licensing authority for Oceana’s operations, to resolve the issue.

We recognise there are many considerations and the fishmeal factory cannot simply be ‘shut down’ without serious socio-economic consequences. But we also recognise that there are many untapped opportunities within Hout Bay that could not only maintain, but improve, socio-economic stability, environmental protection and social cohesion.

We are therefore calling on the City of Town to develop a long-term strategy for harbour operations in Hout Bay and to identify new activities within the harbour that are better suited to the social and environmental dynamics of Hout Bay.

To achieve this, we request that the following be done:

The City of Cape Town undertake the following:

• Conduct a comprehensive health study to determine the health and well-being impacts of short and long-term exposure to Hydrogen Sulphide, as emitted by the Oceana fishmeal factory.
• Conduct a social and environmental impact assessment of Oceana’s operations to determine the impact of the industry on the broader community.
• Conduct a socio-economic analysis of the community to determine needs and opportunities.
• Establish an odour pollution community complaints mechanism that is directly managed by the City of Cape Town and not by Oceana.

The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government conduct an independent investigation to determine the best activities for the harbour and develop a strategy for how to achieve this.

Call on the National Department of Public Works to reconsider the renewal of Oceana’s lease for fishmeal processing in Hout Bay at the conclusion of its existing expiry in 2020.

FAHB firmly believes that the current situation in Hout Bay can be overcome through the united and collective efforts of the residents and friends of our beautiful community. Please help us to end the odour pollution in Hout Bay and to find better alternatives that meet the needs of all people.

#OceanaStinks #HoutBayMustRise