I have been doing some future research into the effects o recreational fishingon our fish stocks and during my quest to find infomation i was fortunate enough to make contact with Dr Marc griffiths, Senior Specialist Scientist in the Line fish section of the Department of Marine and Coastal Management (MCM).Dr Griffiths was kind enough to awnser some of my questions and also sent me an extract of a book that is about to be published that is a study on this very subject.It is with his permission that i now want to share some of the rather worrying facts with you.
The references i am about to make are in respect of our coastal fishing exploits and do not include monies and or the effect or contribution made by our freshwater or esturine fishing.line fishing in South Africa contibutes some 2,2billion to our annual GDP and employs in the region of 132 000 people.Of this 81% of the people are employed in recreational fishing related industries which in turn provide 82% of the revenues.We are however only responsible for approximately 20% of the fish caught.Now before we start going off "Its the commercials that are taking our stock",keep on reading!
During the study by the MCM it was found that the recreational shore based anglers are responsible for the degradation of the surf zone species and that both the commercial and the recreational boat anglers are responsible for the effects on our bottom fish that are found in and around the offshore reefs.Now this may sound obvious, but think about the fishing that the majority of us do.It is shore based fishing! So who is responsible?
During a two year study it was estimated that there are some 412 000 rock and surf anglers along our coast as opposed to only 30 000 boat anglers being made up of both recreational and commercials.Of the rock and surf anglers, roughly 60%are white males with an average age of 40.What does this tell us? well, to start with we cant just start blaming too many other people because i have just described myself and probably the majority of you who are reading this.i am not one who like to rant and rave about this or that statistic, but we are now getting to the bit that we should all get worried about.Below is aa table that shows how we,the recreational fisherman, feel about the current regulations, and what we know about them..
Area Agree% Obey% Knowledge%
West Coast
Size Limit 81 61 35
Bag Limit 76 56 43
Closed Season 82 60 36
Southern Cape
Size Limit 84 78 43
Bag Limit 75 71 45
Closed Season 76 71 33
Eastern Cape
Size Limit 91 50 35
Bag Limit 80 70 36
Closed Season 84 75 45
Transkei
Size Limit 87 49 16
Bag Limit 75 58 21
Closed Season 72 71 30
Kwazulu Natal
Size Limit 93 69 51
Bag Limit 76 75 61
Closed Season 72 97 72
What this tells me is that most of us agree that we should have limits and intent to obey them but are not sure or do not know what we must obey,You may recall that in one of my earlier letters i tried to get a copy of the regulations , well it would apper that my request disppeared into our postal system,so sorry, as yet i can not try to help in this regard other then to advise you that there are some proposed new regulations in the offing that should be published later this year, and apparently a do's and dont's leaflet will be handed out with the new permits!It is obvious that we need educate ourselves, but the question is how?We can take a chance and rely on the information that is printed on the back of the tide charts and so on and hope that it is corrcet ?(which in fairness it probably is).
Wedensday afternoon in Durban
What was also of interest in the information i recieved was that although we, fisherman, say we agree with limits and the regulations it was found at some stage or other, 1.>a substantial number of anglers had broken the rules at some stage.2.>40% of recreational boat anglers that were interviewed admited to selling their catch.
Does this mean that we are saying what we think people expect us to say, but when they are not looking we will quickly take one extra fish, or one thats just under size?If it does , then when will that one become two or more?If we can not follow rules, why should the next guy.It does not matter if you fish in the surf once in a year or every day of the year , if you break the law you are responsible for the degradation of our fish stock whether it be one fish or a nimber of fish.
If i have not yet done enough to make you sit up and listen to the problems that our fish stocks are in , then let me try this.Below are a list of fish species that are often the target of our persuits,this is, however, not to say that the fish not listed are in ay stae of abundance.Any fish species that are not mentioned are only left out because there is insufficient evidence and records for the scientists to draw any worthwhile conclusions at this time.Does this mean there are too few fish left for them to count?I do not know, but i believe we should asume that all fish stocks are in a bad condition in that way maybe we will treat them with more respect, and perhaps they too can recover.
All of the fish below either fall under the category of collapsed or over exploited status.Shad,Yellowtail,Galjoen,Kob,Geelbek,King And Queen Mackerel,Rock Cod,Englishman,Roman,Poenskop,Dagerad<red Stumpnose,Red and White Stumpnose,Red And White Steenbras,Scottsman And Seventyfour.
Of these fish,the new regulations will be placing a moratorium on some, further restrictions on the bag limits on others and an increase on minimum length on some or all of the above.The restrictions in bag limit are in some cases major , with the restrictions from 5 to 1 coming in place for certain species!As i have already said these new regulations should be out later this year so we could be in for a shock.Why?Becuase we did not act sooner?Look what happened to the 4x4 on the beaches issue.There were moans and groans for years when it happened we all got upset.Now it looks like the same is going to happen to our fishing.All we can hope for is that if and when these new limits are imposed, that they work and that it's not going to be a case of too little too late!One of the MCM problems is the insufficiant staffing levels of inspectors.There is a relationship between the transgression of the laws, and the presence (or lack there of) of the inspectors.Natal has an average of 10,9% of the anglers being inspected.0,53% inspectors per a kilometer, where as the Southern and Eastern Cape areas have 0,63% and 0,75% being inspected,with only 0,06 and 0,03 inspectors per kilometer respectively.Add to this the fact that 80% of the inspectors in the Cape regions spend their time on controlling quotas for other fisheries and related work and you can see that this is a big problem,We need more inspectors.
This is where you can come in again.You can become an honorary inspector.If you are interested you should contact Marcel Kroese of MCM at mkroese@mcm.wcape.gov.za and he will be able to give you more information.That aside the MCM needs more help and more funding from our goverment although their salaries are paid by the stae (our taxes) and the running expenses are paid by the Marine Living Resources Fund (our license fees) this is obviously not enough if we have an average of <0,3 inspectors per kilometere of coastline!But where do the goverment get the money?Well if line fishing gives 2,2 billion to our GDP, surely , in addition to the annual grant the MCM already gets ,what about another percentage of the taxes on that 2,2 billion going straight into the MCM's coffers!?Would this not give a greater flexiblity to employ and train more inspectors?
At the end of the day the MCM is a Goverment department that is part of the Department Of enviromental Affairs and Tourisim, which falls under Minister Moosa (who was behind the banning of 4x4's on the beaches for inviromental reasons).Now if we were worried about what effect 4x4's will have on our beaches and associated tourisim industry, surely we would be concerned about our fish stocks.This too will have an effect on the economy as well as our tourisim industry.how many tourists visit places like St Lucia each year, a small town that started of as one of our fishing mecca's ,if we do not have enough inspectors to make sure the rules are followed, how long will it be before the tourists stop comming?What i have just said may sound a bit dramatic , but did you think 3 years ago when you bought you r 4x4 that you would not be allowed to use it to go fishing on the beach?It's not just the goverment who must do something , it's us as well , we must follow rules , and if you are in doubt err on the side of caution, and put the border line size fish back (next time hell be that much bigger),and do not taken more than you need.I know it's the old cliche but limit your catch , dont catch your limit.Fish sensibly and FISH FOR THE FUTURE!!!
Article Written For The Angling Times: By Richard Wood
The references i am about to make are in respect of our coastal fishing exploits and do not include monies and or the effect or contribution made by our freshwater or esturine fishing.line fishing in South Africa contibutes some 2,2billion to our annual GDP and employs in the region of 132 000 people.Of this 81% of the people are employed in recreational fishing related industries which in turn provide 82% of the revenues.We are however only responsible for approximately 20% of the fish caught.Now before we start going off "Its the commercials that are taking our stock",keep on reading!
During the study by the MCM it was found that the recreational shore based anglers are responsible for the degradation of the surf zone species and that both the commercial and the recreational boat anglers are responsible for the effects on our bottom fish that are found in and around the offshore reefs.Now this may sound obvious, but think about the fishing that the majority of us do.It is shore based fishing! So who is responsible?
During a two year study it was estimated that there are some 412 000 rock and surf anglers along our coast as opposed to only 30 000 boat anglers being made up of both recreational and commercials.Of the rock and surf anglers, roughly 60%are white males with an average age of 40.What does this tell us? well, to start with we cant just start blaming too many other people because i have just described myself and probably the majority of you who are reading this.i am not one who like to rant and rave about this or that statistic, but we are now getting to the bit that we should all get worried about.Below is aa table that shows how we,the recreational fisherman, feel about the current regulations, and what we know about them..
Area Agree% Obey% Knowledge%
West Coast
Size Limit 81 61 35
Bag Limit 76 56 43
Closed Season 82 60 36
Southern Cape
Size Limit 84 78 43
Bag Limit 75 71 45
Closed Season 76 71 33
Eastern Cape
Size Limit 91 50 35
Bag Limit 80 70 36
Closed Season 84 75 45
Transkei
Size Limit 87 49 16
Bag Limit 75 58 21
Closed Season 72 71 30
Kwazulu Natal
Size Limit 93 69 51
Bag Limit 76 75 61
Closed Season 72 97 72
What this tells me is that most of us agree that we should have limits and intent to obey them but are not sure or do not know what we must obey,You may recall that in one of my earlier letters i tried to get a copy of the regulations , well it would apper that my request disppeared into our postal system,so sorry, as yet i can not try to help in this regard other then to advise you that there are some proposed new regulations in the offing that should be published later this year, and apparently a do's and dont's leaflet will be handed out with the new permits!It is obvious that we need educate ourselves, but the question is how?We can take a chance and rely on the information that is printed on the back of the tide charts and so on and hope that it is corrcet ?(which in fairness it probably is).
Wedensday afternoon in Durban
What was also of interest in the information i recieved was that although we, fisherman, say we agree with limits and the regulations it was found at some stage or other, 1.>a substantial number of anglers had broken the rules at some stage.2.>40% of recreational boat anglers that were interviewed admited to selling their catch.
Does this mean that we are saying what we think people expect us to say, but when they are not looking we will quickly take one extra fish, or one thats just under size?If it does , then when will that one become two or more?If we can not follow rules, why should the next guy.It does not matter if you fish in the surf once in a year or every day of the year , if you break the law you are responsible for the degradation of our fish stock whether it be one fish or a nimber of fish.
If i have not yet done enough to make you sit up and listen to the problems that our fish stocks are in , then let me try this.Below are a list of fish species that are often the target of our persuits,this is, however, not to say that the fish not listed are in ay stae of abundance.Any fish species that are not mentioned are only left out because there is insufficient evidence and records for the scientists to draw any worthwhile conclusions at this time.Does this mean there are too few fish left for them to count?I do not know, but i believe we should asume that all fish stocks are in a bad condition in that way maybe we will treat them with more respect, and perhaps they too can recover.
All of the fish below either fall under the category of collapsed or over exploited status.Shad,Yellowtail,Galjoen,Kob,Geelbek,King And Queen Mackerel,Rock Cod,Englishman,Roman,Poenskop,Dagerad<red Stumpnose,Red and White Stumpnose,Red And White Steenbras,Scottsman And Seventyfour.
Of these fish,the new regulations will be placing a moratorium on some, further restrictions on the bag limits on others and an increase on minimum length on some or all of the above.The restrictions in bag limit are in some cases major , with the restrictions from 5 to 1 coming in place for certain species!As i have already said these new regulations should be out later this year so we could be in for a shock.Why?Becuase we did not act sooner?Look what happened to the 4x4 on the beaches issue.There were moans and groans for years when it happened we all got upset.Now it looks like the same is going to happen to our fishing.All we can hope for is that if and when these new limits are imposed, that they work and that it's not going to be a case of too little too late!One of the MCM problems is the insufficiant staffing levels of inspectors.There is a relationship between the transgression of the laws, and the presence (or lack there of) of the inspectors.Natal has an average of 10,9% of the anglers being inspected.0,53% inspectors per a kilometer, where as the Southern and Eastern Cape areas have 0,63% and 0,75% being inspected,with only 0,06 and 0,03 inspectors per kilometer respectively.Add to this the fact that 80% of the inspectors in the Cape regions spend their time on controlling quotas for other fisheries and related work and you can see that this is a big problem,We need more inspectors.
This is where you can come in again.You can become an honorary inspector.If you are interested you should contact Marcel Kroese of MCM at mkroese@mcm.wcape.gov.za and he will be able to give you more information.That aside the MCM needs more help and more funding from our goverment although their salaries are paid by the stae (our taxes) and the running expenses are paid by the Marine Living Resources Fund (our license fees) this is obviously not enough if we have an average of <0,3 inspectors per kilometere of coastline!But where do the goverment get the money?Well if line fishing gives 2,2 billion to our GDP, surely , in addition to the annual grant the MCM already gets ,what about another percentage of the taxes on that 2,2 billion going straight into the MCM's coffers!?Would this not give a greater flexiblity to employ and train more inspectors?
At the end of the day the MCM is a Goverment department that is part of the Department Of enviromental Affairs and Tourisim, which falls under Minister Moosa (who was behind the banning of 4x4's on the beaches for inviromental reasons).Now if we were worried about what effect 4x4's will have on our beaches and associated tourisim industry, surely we would be concerned about our fish stocks.This too will have an effect on the economy as well as our tourisim industry.how many tourists visit places like St Lucia each year, a small town that started of as one of our fishing mecca's ,if we do not have enough inspectors to make sure the rules are followed, how long will it be before the tourists stop comming?What i have just said may sound a bit dramatic , but did you think 3 years ago when you bought you r 4x4 that you would not be allowed to use it to go fishing on the beach?It's not just the goverment who must do something , it's us as well , we must follow rules , and if you are in doubt err on the side of caution, and put the border line size fish back (next time hell be that much bigger),and do not taken more than you need.I know it's the old cliche but limit your catch , dont catch your limit.Fish sensibly and FISH FOR THE FUTURE!!!
Article Written For The Angling Times: By Richard Wood
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