State of SA Rivers

[Stones]

Hey Guys,

This is my thread on Sealine....and don't worry I support all forums, just do most of my posting there because my firewall at work wont allow me to post pics here. No offence! Respect to Fly Talk

Please check out the latest replies I have from Rand Water and just waiting to hear from Carte Blanche on the subject, who I have been working with for some time.

I will have this Yellowfish Impact scenario made public very soon.......watch this space......

[gazzarowan]

no link Stones?

[Stones]

Hey Gaz,

http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic....um_id=4&page=8

But not sure if you will be able to view pics. You might have to join unfortunately. The text you will be able to read though but there is some good stuff throughout the thread. Its a real pitty I cant post pics here, I might have to do it from home when I get a chance, just more convenient from work.

[Stones]

The Rand Water survey....for the guys who are anti other forum

Rand Water
Impala Road Glenvista 2058
PO Box 1127 Johannesburg 2000 South Africa
Tel (011) 682 0911 Fax (011) 682-0733
Reference:
Enquiries: Reveck Hariram
Direct Line: Tel (011) 682-0735
Fax (011) 682-0733
Email Rhariram@randwater.co.za
For attention: The Relevant Authority
01 August 2011
POLLUTION INCIDENT – FISH KILL IN THE WATERVAL RIVER
Rand Water is aware of a fish kill that occurred at in the Waterval River near Villiers
(26°57"21.09 S 28°44"59.48 E). This fish kill was brought to our attention by a fisherman who
fished the area on the weekend of 23rd July 2011.
A site inspection was conducted on the 29th July 2011. There were numerous dead fish in various
stages of decay. There did not seem to be any fresh fish kills indicating the current non-presence
of a pollutant in the water. A hand held instrument was used to check the pH (8.25), Dissolved
Oxygen (13.45mg/l) and the Electrical Conductivity (0.695 mS/cm). These values read very
similar to the values recorded at our online monitoring station 27km further upstream. Hence no
water sample was taken. It is well known that the Waterval River is quite polluted due to the
poor performance of Sewerage works at Embalenhle, gold mining and Sasol Secunda in the
upper reaches of the Waterval catchment. Similarly as in the case of the Vaal Barrage the aquatic
life is under stress from the pollution and that even slight changes to their environment can
trigger these fish kills. (Photos are attached).
Your urgent response will be appreciated.
Yours sincerely
REVECK HARIRAM
SENIOR WATER QUALITY ADVISOR

[Bryan]

Reveck is actually a member on here. Glad to see he has taken action on this.

[Herman Jooste]

As far as I know, and I speak under big time correction here,.

( PLEASE PUT IT RIGHT IF I"M WRONG ) the incident was observed and reported by another Forum member, and after he had discussions with senior members of the f/f fraternity, it was concluded that the fish kills were in actual fact the result of gill netting.

IF, illegal netting is taking place on pristine waters, then I get worried, VERY worried.

[Stones]

Hi Guys, Herman

Gill netting, maybe, but evidence shows that there are chemicals/threats in the water. If I could post a pic of the live fish we caught and others last week.......sick, sick, sick......full of disease and lithargic! So sad And I don't need to tell you guys how sensitive Yellows are to abnormal enviroments.
If someone could save my pics on the other site and paste them here, would appreciate that?

Look, I know there are concerns about exposing waters but fact remains and I am guilty of with holding certain waters but we need to stick together on this subject and save our indigenous fish before there is nothing left. Then what? I am a proud South African.....and proud to say that we have our very own, well respected (internationaly), fish and a beautiful one at that! Not too mention the money the Vaal system brings into the country every year!

Lets stick together, put differences asside and expose the implications publically and kick the peoples asses responsible for distroying a heritage enjoyed by many?

Yours faithfully

Brandon Stonefield
bstonefield@barloworld-equipment.com

[flybum]

Hi Guys, Herman

Gill netting, maybe, but evidence shows that there are chemicals/threats in the water. If I could post a pic of the live fish we caught and others last week.......sick, sick, sick......full of disease and lithargic! So sad And I don't need to tell you guys how sensitive Yellows are to abnormal enviroments.
If someone could save my pics on the other site and paste them here, would appreciate that?

Look, I know there are concerns about exposing waters but fact remains and I am guilty of with holding certain waters but we need to stick together on this subject and save our indigenous fish before there is nothing left. Then what? I am a proud South African.....and proud to say that we have our very own, well respected (internationaly), fish and a beautiful one at that! Not too mention the money the Vaal system brings into the country every year!

Lets stick together, put differences asside and expose the implications publically and kick the peoples asses responsible for distroying a heritage enjoyed by many?

Yours faithfully

Brandon Stonefield
bstonefield@barloworld-equipment.com

Brandon ,

I appreciate the fact that you want to make difference , but think that orginizations like the YWG and SAVE will better serve your purpose.

Ultimitaly you want to improve the quality of the water .i think using the passion that a TINY handfull of flyfishermen from the South African population has for a fish that lives in these waters is not gonna make much of a difference.

If flyfishermen want to make a real difference to the bad situation they find their fishing waters in , take the following facts into considerations :

Smallmouth yellows are actually EXTREMELY hardy & adaptive to extreme enviroments.Not to pollution to the same degree as say barbel & carp , but to temp fluctuations / rivers dying up periodically/ being able to adapt its diet /being able the breed prolifically when required etc.Thus besides the barbel ,it is the only indiginous fish(of great angling importance) that has been able to expand its range and infiltrate river systems completely outside of its watershed range. The Fish & Gourits are prime examples. I know of a few more.

Smallmouth yellows is a highly desirable angling specie and its preference for the fly (which it can clearly locate in the most turbit water)basically puts it on par with trout. The fish is basically an African Trout/Grayling.

Here is where I'm goin to stick my neck out and drop a thought :

Given the above facts , I am convinced any keen / passionate flyfisherman can create a fantastic fishery , with crystal clear water & low pollution levels at lower altitude just about anywhere in SA .HE only needs 2 things :

1. Smallmouth Yellows
2. Zebra Mussels

Who's got the balls?

[Stones]

Look....I'm not going to argue about anything, even if I agree or disagree with you.

I am leading SA here......and I am going to expose this contencious issue on CB, weather people like it or not!

If I had the money or the resources, I would start my own rehab/breading program......but no, I'm a simple hard working South African that wants to enjoy life and what is in it!!!!!

And as for YWG and SAVE, well......they have not come back to me after I have put this out there, only Rand Water that jumped on it straight away. I am taking my own initiative and running with it......too bad too sad! Carte Blanche are keen to make this a big story and I am assisting in getting evidence for them, as they don't have enough knowledge of impacts on the Yellows themselves. And.....this crap is getting into our drinking waters, how long before we start getting ill, if that has'nt happened already....and dying!

Ask yourselves these questions before leaving it up to other people to sort out?

Nuff said.......

[E.T.]

Brandon ,

I appreciate the fact that you want to make difference , but think that orginizations like the YWG and SAVE will better serve your purpose.

Ultimitaly you want to improve the quality of the water .i think using the passion that a TINY handfull of flyfishermen from the South African population has for a fish that lives in these waters is not gonna make much of a difference.

If flyfishermen want to make a real difference to the bad situation they find their fishing waters in , take the following facts into considerations :

Smallmouth yellows are actually EXTREMELY hardy & adaptive to extreme enviroments.Not to pollution to the same degree as say barbel & carp , but to temp fluctuations / rivers dying up periodically/ being able to adapt its diet /being able the breed prolifically when required etc.Thus besides the barbel ,it is the only indiginous fish that has been able to expand its range and infiltrate river systems completely outside of its watershed range. The Fish & Gourits are prime examples. I know of a few more.

Smallmouth yellows is a highly desirable angling specie and its preference for the fly (which it can clearly locate in the most turbit water)basically puts it on par with trout. The fish is basically an African Trout/Grayling.

Here is where I'm goin to stick my neck out and drop a thought :

Given the above facts , I am convinced any keen / passionate flyfisherman can create a fantastic fishery , with crystal clear water & low pollution levels at lower altitude just about anywhere in SA .HE only needs 2 things :

1. Smallmouth Yellows
2. Zebra Mussels

Who's got the balls?

Not just a pretty face after all.
Enjoyed reading this.

Got one question though? What will this kill the invasive species with rotenone clan do, if I take a stretch of river maybe somewhere, somewhere and I decide to chuck in a truckload of these mussels?

I know that breeding the fish in dams, etc and having these mussels around would help a lot, but what I would like to see is what these things would do in a section of water that is not polluted currently?

Another question would be why no one has ever thought of introducing SM & LM Yellows in some of the river systems where we get LS & SS Yellows? Would it be wrong to do such a thing?