general - Suspicious trawlers

[fishingmike]

Attached id an article from our local news paper regarding trawler activity on the South Coast.
Does anybody have more information or can explain what is happening?

http://southcoastherald.co.za/141570/trawlers-spotted-offshore/

 

[Dangerboy]

Couldn't agree more with the articular published!


Did anyone hear David Attenenborough start a programme by on the Chinese coast there are ? No never

 

[Dr halibut hoffman]

Funny I was hearing of this about a year ago from people I know living there, they could watch them come in close at night. Also reports of unknown vessels setting long lines at night etc.. If this was happening I have no doubt that those in charge sold out.

 

[mrupp]

Agreed With Dr Halibut_Those in charge sold out!! corruption under every stone you turn!

 

[Emperor]

The KZN Subsistence fishers forum members will be at Snakepark Pier at 8am this Sunday (15th May) to protest against these chinese vessels. Join them if you can with your placard.

If you have any queries contact :

Desmond D'sa - 083 982 69 39
Essop Mohammed - 083 786 4175

 

[mrupp]

I commend the efforts and the time taken by the protesters however what governmental Authority is responsible for the safekeeping of our Natural Resources? I Must apologies for my ignorance but is it not possible to formally report this perceived criminal activity in the same way one would any crime ?Surely one could force the issue?

 

[Vetvis]

News 24
Durban – Nine suspicious vessels that are
suspected of illegal fishing have been spotted
around Durban, Port St Johns and Cape Recife
this week.
The vessels were first seen on Thursday by the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries which decided to monitor them.
Department spokesperson Bomikazi Molapo
said the activities of these vessels seemed
suspicious. A patrol boat was sent out to

search for them.
At first the vessels agreed to co-operate and
be escorted to Saldanha port but they started
dispersing in different directions on Thursday
evening.
“This made it harder for our vessel to give
chase. Our vessel kept trail of one of the
vessels and captured and boarded it escorting
it to the port of Cape Town.”
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Nqakula instructed
the South African Navy to assist in the chase.
The Western Cape police are also helping.

 

[fishingmike]

An update on the story.

www.ecr.co.za/news-sport/news/chinese-vessel-suspected-illegal-fishing-sa-waters-be-inspected/

It is amazing that they can only catch the trawlers in the Cape when they were spotted in Durban a few day earlier.
Who is monitoring our coastline and protecting our resources.
How will the MPA'S help?

 

[Ben REINERS]

How can Governm Depts involved in protecting our Coast of the RSA , our fisheries, monitoring shipping activities,illegal activities not know, fail to intercept & or capture these illegals timeously ?? Why we ask......cause they the very ones who allow them, or turn a blind eye on their presence and or activities.......
Who is watching our backs(borders and water-space) in the country during the day or night ??
So the expensive equipment we have is rendered useless ?? Common guys.....its time we expose the rotten lot.....

Same problem has been ongoing just off-shore on the stretch south of Richards Bay harbor and ZINKWAZI after dark. Trawlers can be seen just off shore up & down........and who is asking any questions or reporting it ?
The target area seems to be the Tugela banks......and now we get to face the proposed MPA's to be implemented.
Yes the MPA's is a very good control measure and idea of protecting our stock....but hell.....we cant "huddle up sheep using the front door while we let the back door stand open....."

 

[MichaelK]

I logged on to Marine traffic to see where these vessels are now. The problem here is that it shows you hundreds of fishing vessels, but only a handful of the fishing vessels have their identification available to view. The rest just come up as "fishing vessel".

Is there someone in the know, who can explain this.

 

[Ben REINERS]

Ek wonder of dit blote "toeval" is dat die onwettige vissers-skepe in SA waters was tydens die besoek van hulle land die Chinese Vloot aan die SA Vloot & beide gaan deelneem aan n gesamentlike "oefen-sessie"....toeval of so gereel want ons land se verdediging is naby ??
Ek is jammer....maar ons Chinese wesens laat die mense-ryk kwaai in die steek met al hul manewales.....ek hoop wereld oë neem kennis en tree alvolgens op.....dis hoog tyd.

 

[Vetvis]

Anyone who may have sighted
suspicious vessels contact Colonel Kobus
Olivier
082 8268989.

Colonel Kobus Olivier, Operations Commander
of the ORS Sea Borderline unit confirmed on
Tuesday that his unit was part of surveillance
being conducted on the east coast.

 

[IWyk]

Great stuff en regte naam en van ook nog! Dalk sal iets positiefs hiervan kom, ons hoop.

 

[Dr halibut hoffman]

Glad something is being done about this and at least one vessel got nabbed, even if 8-26 or so got away depending on the reports. That red fisheries boat is on it, I see them operating up and down the coast keeping their eyes on things. I wonder where all those fastboats are that we spent so much on in the arms deal, a bunch of navy frigates would be great to dissuade the illegal trawlers but I reckon the big chiefs have been paid to make sure that doesn't happen.

http://www.boatfishing.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=5798&sid=9a90a3a423cfdcbd289cb4c997878669

"
They in good condition. Live in PE, the foreign fishing fleet pilfered all our big fish so we left with shoalies on light tackle, but we making due. Rods are now unused."

That seems to be the consensus. I have mates that occasionally go to the deep to the current that side and all they find are the occasional shoalies or floating satellite/radio long-line bouys washing down in the current. What of these? How many vessels are in the deep off the south coast and transkei coast vacuuming the fish stocks? My mates have seen far more long-line bouys than large tuna, if any, in the deep..sad state.