Relaunch of Western Cape YWG

[dlampert]

Apologies for the late notice. Tomorrow night (Tue Sep 2nd) is the relaunch of the Western Cape Yellowfish Working Group. The meeting is taking place at 18H30 at the CPS club room (4th Floor, The Mercantile Building, 63 Hout Street). Anyone can attend/join, you do not need to be a CPS member.

We have approached Prof Jan Roussouw and asked him to head up the Western Cape YWG. Jan has agreed in principle subject to the group voting etc. In the meantime Jan has drafted a plan for the group - see below. The plan is to run the group in a professional way along the lines of the other YWG's around the country.

If anyone is interested in attending or wants more information please PM me. Looking forward to seeing many of you tomorrow night!

Thanks,
Darryl

WCYFG – The way forward
1. Plan:
a. Define the goals of the group
b. Identify steps in obtaining the goals
c. Obtain approval and support for plan from relevant organisations such as Cape Nature, DWAF, CPS, Art lure clubs, Land owners, etc.
d. Determine priorities and time schedule of activities
e. Assign tasks to implement plan

2. Goals:
a. Protect present healthy populations of Cape yellowfish
b. Restore fish populations in Doring, Olifants and Breede systems
c. Stimulate research and create awareness

3. Protect present populations
a. Summarise existing situation and knowledge
b. Monitor to prevent degradation. Involve:
(i) Land owners
(ii) Schools - monitor
(iii) Universities - research
(iv) Fishing clubs
c. Report threats to relevant authorities

4. Restore populations
a. Breeding:
(i) Hatcheries
(ii) Dams
(iii) Healthy river systems
b. Growing to bass-proof size:
(i) Growth rate
(ii) Size to be restocked
c. Restocking
(i) Where
(ii) In what numbers
d. Improving habitat
(i) Minimum flow requirements
(ii) Effective use of water
(iii) Bank and bed restoration
(iv) Opening migration routes

5. Research:
a. Breeding requirements
(i) Hatcheries
(ii) Dams
(iii) Rivers
b. Migration patterns
c. Growth rates and lifespan
d. Influence of alien species

J. Rossouw


27 August 2008

[Chris Shelton]

Excellent, thanks Darryl. I'll be there

[rols]

anybody from the durbanville area going to go through? 1 car scenario at the moment for me and it's already booked..

[deewy]

Oom Roland can drive with me

[deewy]

You can drive with me Rols

[rols]

will the bar be open, sorry...i've been told about this caps thing....i am trying, really i am. WILL THE BAR BE OPEN!!!

[dlampert]

Thanks guys looking forward to seeing you there tonight. Roland I will bring your seal skin along.

Rgds,
Darryl

[Ernst Swartz]

Hi guys - Good on you for starting this up again. I see you list research as an aspect that will be part of the Cape YWG discussions. I work for SAIAB and have been working on Cape fishes since 1997, doing my MSc and PhD on these ancient fish and contributing to several YWG meetings. I am currently doing research on the Cape Galaxias (discovering several new species) and continuing work on Sandelia and Pseudobarbus. I also have a PhD student starting work on the Breede River system - we will link with the "Wine and Biodiversity" initiative - I promise its not an excuse!

We will be looking at the conservation of Witvis in some way or another - even if its just trying to map their distribution. I also did the IUCN evaluation of the conservation status of the Cape fishes with Dean Impson - so if you don't agree with it lets talk. I did do work on Barbus serra and Labeobarbus capensis in the past and I know the Cederberg quite well.

I hope I can add value to your discussions especially in terms the latest research developments. I am particularly interested in distribution records - so if you find something interesting let me know. If we can, we would love to follow these up, especially for now, the Breede system.

Living in Grahamstown, it will of course be difficult to join you for meetings, but I would love to follow fishy developments in the Cape where I do most of my research.

Kind regards
Ernst