Hamburg is a coastal communal area of Ngqushwa Local Municipality (Peddie), which is under Amathole District Municipality. The Committee met with the community chaired by the Speaker of the Ngqushwa Local Municipality, Mr Xotyeni. The community ekes out a living from the coast, mostly through subsistence fishing of oysters and various other fish. Previously, the community also derived some income from the sale of abalone (also known as perlemoen). However, their abalone fishing permits which allowed each person to catch 3 abalones a day, have since 2004 expired, and were never renewed. The community had since then consulted the Marine and Coastal Management Division (MCM) of the then Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) to get their permits renewed. Nothing came of those attempts - instead the DEAT promised to send marine scientists to check abalone stocks along the Hamburg coast line but to date, the community has not received feedback on such a study or a reason why their permits could not be renewed. The community reported that they witness commercial fishing boats poaching abalone on a daily basis, particularly after hours when environmental inspectors are not around. However, when the members of the community try to make a living from the coast through abalone fishing, they get arrested and given hefty fines which they cannot afford to pay.