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Thread: Trek and gill nets being used at Zandvlei

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by swsmith View Post
    howzit neil.....my old man fished there often in the 80's and early 90's and caught big leeries and monster elf....then as you say the hawston guys put nets across and ****ed everything up.... ...... my old man and uncle have been spinning there recently(earlier this year) but with no luck....so sad....

    there are however huge harders/mullet swimming around in there....
    Steve

    I'm talking about 1970! That means the fishing recovered and they hit it again and again. We used to catch big ones there. Dam X size! when last have you hit Dam X?

  2. #12
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    Dam X really does look like a dam....or maybe one big choclotae milkshake....really struggle to beleive how they survive thru that..
    stephen is wishing he was fishing location x right now.......



    Stephen Smith

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by ebf View Post
    smithers, more likely pressure due to a certain losbek forum...
    Couldn't agree more!!!!
    "We all fish for our own enjoyment - me for mine and you for yours, nobody can say what is right and what is wrong." - Jim Leisenring

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by NeilRowe View Post
    Steve

    I'm talking about 1970! That means the fishing recovered and they hit it again and again. We used to catch big ones there. Dam X size! when last have you hit Dam X?
    There were still enough fish stocks back in the seventies for a system like Bot River to recover from a plundering.However I think repeated plunderings combined with a steep decline in fish stocks over the last 20 years has now put paid to that fishery.

    Hermanus lagoon is not far behind.

  5. #15
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    Sad, but probably true!

  6. #16
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    and we are watching this space and waiting...

    and waiting...

    and waiting...

    and waiting...
    Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery element are made for wise men to contemplate, and for fools to pass by without consideration - Izaak Walton

  7. #17
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    HI GUYS,

    Common now guys, the forum cannot be blamed if this is well the case. Gill and trek netting has been practiced all over S.A. for decades. These illegal fishers do it for a living, they are to busy finding new waters or setting nets to have the time to ''LURK'' FORUMS.

    In the same breath I will add, if anyone comes across these nets, ruin them in any way possible if you cant remove them totally and burn. Dont even take the chance of taking them home as if you are caught in possesion, you will be just as guilty. Destroy!!!Destroy!!! Destroy!!!!

    Dave
    Handle every situation like a dog.- If you cant hump it, piss on it and walk away. --JASPER.

  8. #18
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    Dave, go read the thread again slowly.

    Nobody is saying the netting is due to the forum. That was a response to a question on poor results this season - and may well have to do with exposure of the venue on the forum (i.e. overfishing by the lurkers) last year.

    As far as the gill nets are concerned, let's just all keep our panties on for the moment . All we have is an unsubstantiated claim by a forum member. Until there is solid info and proof to back it up, means didly...
    Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery element are made for wise men to contemplate, and for fools to pass by without consideration - Izaak Walton

  9. #19
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    I have heard stories in the last 2 or three years of shootouts on Botriver over drift nets. Poaching is apparently prolific there. That and the rapid growth of weed in the upper parts of the estuary as a result of fertilizers entering the system, has been blamed for the drastic decline in the fish stocks.

    Speaking for myself, I have serious doubts that the fishing pressure as a result of last years Sandvlei leerie rush is the cause of a decline in the fishing. Pollution is a more likely culprit and poaching by net certainly wouldn"t help!

    Any other views?

  10. #20
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    Default Keeping tabs on fish population in Zandvlei

    Now that I've got everyone's attention......

    The winter fish survey in Zandvlei, done in blustery wet weather in July, is part of an ongoing programme that is run in partnership between Marine and Coastal Management and Biodiversity Management (Nature Conservation). The City of Cape Town's environmental resource management department conducts these fish treks each quarter to get a representative idea of the fish using the estuary each season. This data collection has been ongoing for a number of years and Steve Lamberth of Marine and Coastal Management is busy analysing the data and writing a scientific paper on the trends in Zandvlei.

    Marine and Coastal Management have a permit to use trek and gill nets in the estuary for scientific purposes. during the survey, the fish that are caught are identified, measured and the indigenous ones such as Leervis are put back into the water as fast as possible. The fish that are removed make up a representative sample of the estuary and are a very small number in relation to the size of the population. The number of fish is then multiplied out using a formula. It's not an exact science but it is used to give an approximation and to work out trends through the year and over a long period of time.

    When Zandvlei was managed by Clifford Dorse in 1998, 29 fish species were found to be present in the estuary. These included some very important fish such as White Steenbras (endangered), Leervis or Garrick, White Stumpnose and indicator species such as Longsnout pipefish which help to indicate the health of the water body.

    During the past three fish surveys, 14 of the 29 species have been recorded. The other 15 we still have to look for which will be part of our Fisheries Resource Management student Sebastian Osborne's project for this year.

    During the previous survey, many adult mullet (Liza Richardsoni) were recorded. However during this survey (winter), the mullet caught were only juveniles and no adults were found. This indicates that the adult mullet are migrating out to sea to seasonally spawn. Indicator species such as the Longsnouted Pipefish and Knysna Goby were also recorded indicating that the water quality is relatively good as these animals live close to the bottom sediments which trap the majority of the heavy metals and pollution.

    Should any members of the Zandvlei Trust wish to see what we do during the quarterly fish treks, they are most welcome to contact me. The fish treks are weather dependant but we will let any interested parties know the dates if they wish to help or spectate.

    Cassandra Sheasby
    Manager, Greater Zandvlei Estuary Reserve.
    Tel: 021 701 7542.

    This article was published in the latest issue of the Zandvlei Trust Newsletter.
    Last edited by BuzzLiteBeer; 18-09-08 at 07:41 PM.
    So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish.

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