Shocking discovery on the Orange River

**Herman Jooste** · 01-11-10

Originally Posted by Stephen Louw

Korrie this is not really true. The SA catfish industry has never taken off and according to the 2009 Aquaculture Benchmarking Survey (p.52) there is presently only one producer actively selling fish, entirely to the African immigrant community in Gauteng, mostly to persons from the DRC, Ghana and Nigeria where there is an extant catfish market.

The catfish sold in Ocean Basket is entirely imported.

Stephen, does that mean that the Catfish Farm near Hoedspruit has ceased to exist ?

Around 15 years ago I paid the place a visit, and they were exporting every gram of smoked, sharp toothed catfish, that they could produce to America, with the Asian markets slao starting to open up.

**chrisvd** · 01-11-10

This is bad news, I heard they were going to close down the hatchery a couple of years ago, but knew nothing about a carp farm being operated there. There were a report that the chinese were going to assist with the yellows, but carp!

Chris please keep us posted, I would love to get involved in stopping this.

**MyWorld** · 01-11-10

We were told about this by Gordon O'Brien last year at a club meeting. I cannot recall if it was possitive or negative or what was discussed on the matter, will have to take a look at the minutes of the meeting.

We are having our club meeting on Wednesday and the chairman told me there is a good chance that Pierre Devilliers will be there (he was at the recently held Bells at Elgro) and I'll hear from him what's the story with the fish farm.

Anything else I need to find out from him, should he pitch up at the meeting?

**Stephen Louw** · 02-11-10

Originally Posted by Herman Jooste

Stephen, does that mean that the Catfish Farm near Hoedspruit has ceased to exist ?

Around 15 years ago I paid the place a visit, and they were exporting every gram of smoked, sharp toothed catfish, that they could produce to America, with the Asian markets slao starting to open up.

Herman I am certainly no expert, but I suspect it has closed. The Aquaculture Survey says that there are two catfish farms in SA -- one in the North West and one in the Western Cape -- and that only the former is actively selling fish. The total output is only 180t, worth R3.6 million.

The only aquaculture product exported in any significant quantity is abalone.

If you are interested, the 2009 AISA Aquaculture Benchmarking Survey is available at: http://www.ai-sa.org.za/newsletter/d...bsiteFinal.pdf

**core fly** · 02-11-10

I am not talking about a alien Barbel species,but our own.I believe there are a few impoundments in china that already hold some our our catfish.

**core fly** · 02-11-10

Originally Posted by MyWorld

We were told about this by Gordon O'Brien last year at a club meeting. I cannot recall if it was possitive or negative or what was discussed on the matter, will have to take a look at the minutes of the meeting.

We are having our club meeting on Wednesday and the chairman told me there is a good chance that Pierre Devilliers will be there (he was at the recently held Bells at Elgro) and I'll hear from him what's the story with the fish farm.

Anything else I need to find out from him, should he pitch up at the meeting?

I think just find out what he knows about it,and if nothing,then maybe the bloem club can do a bit of investigating,and i know 1 or 2 people of the local paper that could maybe start asking some questions.

**AB1** · 02-11-10

My Mother is in politics and I have asked her to look into this at provincial level. Will keep you posted.

**Stephen Louw** · 02-11-10

Originally Posted by Chris Shelton

Hey all. I'm distressed! I just paid a visit to the yellowfish hatchery below the Gariep dam wall on the Orange River and was shocked to find that construction is already under way for a subsistence fish farming plant right next to the river! Thousands of Chinese have moved into the area and are involved in building the multi million dollar facility that will become the processing plant for imported blue carp that will be farmed at the hatchery! How could this have been allowed to go ahead? Apart from tons of fish efluent that will be discharged into the river, there is a very real risk that these Blue carp will ultimately find their way into the Orange River and will eventually completely take over in all the tribs and all the way down to the sea! There must be something we as concerned members of the public and custodians of our rivers can do to stop this from continuing! Was an impact study ever conducted? Looks like nothing but another money making thing to further line the already over feathered nest of yet another corrupt government official! I'm disgusted!

I asked around, and from what I understand:

1) There is indeed substantial Chinese investment in the existing yellowfish hatchery at Gariep. This may include the development of hatchery facilities for carp and barbel.
2) It is not at all clear what the real intention of this investment is. There is no significant market for any of these species in South Africa. It is surmised that the purpose of this investment is political. Like most aid programmes, it is geared to curry favour with the SA government in order to get preferential access to SA mineral exports rather than to really develop the aquaculture system. This, to my mind, is the real danger of this sort of investment.
It is unlikely that a facility this large is intended for subsistence farming.
3) No imported species are involved. NEMBA makes this next to impossible in any case.
4) As carp and barbel are already prevalent in the Gariep-Orange system, it is unlike that escapees would pose a significant threat. The Orange is believed to be close to its carrying capacity with carp (itself a bad thing, but they are here already) and recent studies show that indigenous fish species, yellows and muddies in particular, have increased in relative number in the past five years.

My 2c is that its a pie in the sky political white elephant.

Hope this helps