Help wanted in eradicating Trout on the Upper Berg

[Andre]

I hear you , and respect your opinion, but the trout is an emotive issue to us fly fishers, but I have taken the trouble to listen to the other side and try and understand their intentions locally, and I promise you, they aren't as bad as you think. They have no intention of eradicating trout from the existing formalised fisheries. Perhaps a few peple will call me naïve, but Im prepared to take it at face value.

I was specifically referring to the representative of CN making official statements and not following through with same.I agree on that point that i was wrong to say that times have changed. It seems nothing in that regard has changed at all.

My views on CN and trout are not so rosy as some of the guys on this forum. I dont for a second believe that CN has any interest in protecting trout in our waters. If there was a simple solution to ensure their eradication i.e Weirs and natural waterfalls that would ensure successful treatment of water, I have no doubt that we would not be fishing for trout any longer. I am of the view that it is essentially impossible to treat our waters and ensure 100% eradication and as a result it is easier for CN to simply keep certain groups happy by not attempting to treat water knowing that it could never be succesful.

[gkieser]

Andre i agree with you completely. The noise coming from the other side seems to be that areas where trout exist legally at the moment and are of no risk to indigenous species will be allowed to remain there and even continue to be stocked there.

A great example is the trout that were transferred from that river in the cedarberg and were taken to a hatchery to rear a new local strain that can be used to populate systems like the JDT with locally resistant strains of trout (this happened in the last year). This was all done above board with CNC involved, so why on earth would they get involved with a project like that if their intention was to wipe out trout from every system in the province or country? It doesnt make any sense.

I hear you , and respect your opinion, but the trout is an emotive issue to us fly fishers, but I have taken the trouble to listen to the other side and try and understand their intentions locally, and I promise you, they aren't as bad as you think. They have no intention of eradicating trout from the existing formalised fisheries. Perhaps a few peple will call me naïve, but Im prepared to take it at face value.

[NeilRowe]

So, as I asked before, will you guys who are "in the know", please answer my question. Was there ever an attempt to eradicate trout in the Upper Berg. I have heard rumours that CN and UCT were involved. Anyone? Garnet? Imo it is virtually impossible to eradicate trout from any river system that has numerous tribs etc. Impossible task. Hence my question. A closed system such as the Dorp's, JDT or the Cedarberg Krom is a viable target, but rivers like the majority of the WC trout streams? nah.

[Andre]

Yes there was.

So, as I asked before, will you guys who are "in the know", please answer my question. Was there ever an attempt to eradicate trout in the Upper Berg. I have heard rumours that CN and UCT were involved. Anyone? Garnet? Imo it is virtually impossible to eradicate trout from any river system that has numerous tribs etc. Impossible task. Hence my question. A closed system such as the Dorp's, JDT or the Cedarberg Krom is a viable target, but rivers like the majority of the WC trout streams? nah.

[NeilRowe]

Yes there was.

Thanks. did'nt work. Money down the drain. Now what? Follow-up? I have the feeling that this might have been an attempt to "sell" rotenone or to extract overseas funding. No viable chance of success for the reasons I mentioned.

[Andre]

Look, they knew it wouldn't work, I think it was an experiment. There's a dam at the tail out, with trout, so obviously the trout would re populate, and they did.. When I went up there shortly after with Chris and Daryll, we found several dead fish, but within a month, they went back up from the dam. I also heard the rumour about the consultant from UCT, who was the guy that did the carp eradication in the Century City canals, although unconfirmed, the other rumour was that that it was the remnants of the rotenone stock from Deans garage,although also unconfirmed, what I did hear , is that it was done with the landowners co operation, one of the forestry companies, SAPPI, or Mondi, or one of those. It was so long ago, I just cant remember the details, but at the CPS AGM of that year, Dean was very open about the process relating to the Upper Berg, and other rivers, and since then, and that's going back to about 2008 I think, there has been no reason to disbelieve anything they have said.

Thanks. did'nt work. Money down the drain. Now what? Follow-up? I have the feeling that this might have been an attempt to "sell" rotenone or to extract overseas funding. No viable chance of success for the reasons I mentioned.

[BuzzLiteBeer]

Ah Garnet but "Trout caught in the upper Smalblaar/Krom must be killed" is VERY different from "Trout caught in South Africa must be killed". That is what i am saying.

People are taking particular examples, and turning it into a national crisis where in fact the argument is specific to those fisheries. There are specific reasons why they want trout eradicated from the smalblaar/krom. I dont agree with why they want to eradicate them, but i think the approach of saying that CNC are hell bent on eradicating trout from all waters in the country because of this argument is a stretch.

Hey Grant. When we talk about CN we are specifically talking about the Western Cape and Provincial reserves which are subject to management plans. From a CPS point of view all our waters fall in reserves. The rest of the country doesn't have the reserve problem. I follow what you mean when you refer to the bigger South African picture but I am basing my views directly on what Dean (amongst others) has said and what affects CPS waters. Maybe I don't have all the behind the scenes info but what's publicly available is disturbing. After 3 years of interacting with these guys, they seem to tell you what you want to hear and as soon as the conversation is over they do whatever they want.

[gkieser]

Hey Grant. When we talk about CN we are specifically talking about the Western Cape and Provincial reserves which are subject to management plans. From a CPS point of view all our waters fall in reserves. The rest of the country doesn't have the reserve problem. I follow what you mean when you refer to the bigger South African picture but I am basing my views directly on what Dean (amongst others) has said and what affects CPS waters. Maybe I don't have all the behind the scenes info but what's publicly available is disturbing. After 3 years of interacting with these guys, they seem to tell you what you want to hear and as soon as the conversation is over they do whatever they want.

Garnet from the CPS point of view specifically, yes i agree - i think there is cause for big concern and am hopeful it gets sorted. You are far more clued up than i on such matters relating to the CPS.

The thing that gripes me is that 99% of the people that get up in arms about this thing is that they feel that this affects all fisheries but it doesnt. People want to fight this as a countrywide thing, and we were all lead down that road by people saying that if we dont fight this thing it is the end of trout in SA and that is not the case. What is in jeopardy is the waters that are encroaching on indigenous species, which puts the bulls eye right on most of the CPS waters for sure and that is very worrying.

[Eben]

Dis is baie maklik om jouself ongewild te maak!!!