question on Worms

[Pslatarix]

beep don't think they are quite the same species. the one you reffering to , does it make a colony that looks like a bee hive? if so i think its been about 2 years that its been outlawed. again stand to correction.

 

[boepens]

Yep beehive would describe them perfectly. We call them shipworm. The mussel worms occur in the 'hives' aswell

 

[Pslatarix]

we used to get huge mussel worm in those hives . Im talking 20cm and thick as your pinkie. the reef worm would have rebuilt in a few weeks too and we always just broke off small chunks. when we were done wed stomp on the chunks and come back at high tide. was chaos at times as we would fish a grunter type setup. always amazed me how shallow the fish would come in.

 

[boepens]

Yep that's just how I do it aswell. Works like a bomb

I better check out this no worm collecting story and inform the okes if its legit.

Musselworm has caught me many a solid fish iLL miss it

 

[setobla]

In the Latest Rising Tide Mag there is asection on these worms. ONe are allowed to use/harvest them but there is a limit of(i think) 10 per person

 

[setobla]

In the Latest Rising Tide Mag there is asection on these worms. ONe are allowed to use/harvest them but there is a limit of(i think) 10 per person

 

[Marthin]

All marine species of the phyla Platyhelminthes,
Nemertea, Sipunculida and Annelida, but
excluding the genera Arenicola, Nereis,
Pseudonereis and Gunnarea

Any seaworm, including polychaete, wonder
shingle, moonshine, coral, pot, pudding, rock,
tape & flatworms but excluding bloodworms,
mussel worms and Cape reef-worms

10

Only by hand or suction pump

I always thought that was a coral worm.....

 

[boepens]

Nope that's shipworm budgie.

Coral worm can be found in there too but the smaller colonies in the water have the best.

Always thought its 10 for the last few years.

Last fish I got on worm

 

[Marthin]

well they call it cape reef worm, and it's illegal with the musselworms.

the 10 business was also thought up by someone that has never used pudding worm to fish with....

It used to have a thing about a 250ml tub, but now it's 10.

 

[boepens]

Oh really. I don't think the people inspecting will even know the difference.

Ill use them when I need to. Still prefere fresh chokka blobs.

 

[jb2]

FeedingFrenzy wrote:

Too true!  you are correct - they along with mussel worm may no longer be collected.

We used them as laaities for klipvis bait!

I suppose the reason for the restriction is to prevent damage to ecologically important communities (I remember that there were always herds of crabs, small molluscs and spider-things in the nests as well) same reason for mussel worm - destruction of mussel beds.

Thanks for the wake up!

Cheers

Are you sure that you can't collect them?

I think that they wanted to ban it but I haven't heard anything.

I could be wrong.

 

[Marthin]

JB it says so in the latest brochure...

 

[boepens]

I think uve read wrong budgie. Cause then bloodworm is also out. ?

 

[Marthin]

bloodworm is only out because it has it's own restrictions

 

[jb2]

Marthin wrote:

JB it says so in the latest brochure...

Thanks Marthin

Its strange that it was never mentioned anywhere.

Its a pity cos you don't always have to break open a worm colony. When I am looking for redbait washed out after a storm, I often find nice chunks of of coral worm colonies washed up after a storm.

 

[Marthin]

yep you can find them at melkbos as well after a decent storm.

But then i generally only catch skaamhaai on worm.

 

[boepens]

The laws r so unclear nobody knows what's potting.

If I'm understanding u may not collect musselworm but u may collect coral worm. They live in the same places ? WTF?

 

[jb2]

Marthin wrote:

yep you can find them at melkbos as well after a decent storm.

But then i generally only catch skaamhaai on worm.

Try them at Roman Rock at Arnison for wildeperd and dassie.

Walk to the end of the rocks and cast landward or (east ) in line with  the toilet buildings on the beach.

I have shot some nice belman in that area as well.

 

[FeedingFrenzy]

Coral worm and mussel worm are the same thing.  The accepted common name for Pseudonereis variegata is actually mussel worm.  However they do also inhabit the reefs formed by colonies of Cape reef worm (Gunnarea capensis) and then they are often referred to as coral worm.  They are the same thing though - mussel worms (as found living in mussel colonies) tend to be harder bodied (thicker skin) and green in colour.  "Coral worm" are softer (because they are living in a more protected environment) and also tend to be brownish or even reddish.

So in essence they are not two different species but just ecotypes of the same species.

The regulations state:  All marine species of the phyla Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, Sipunculida and Annelida, but excluding the genera Arenicola, Nereis, Pseudonereis and Gunnarea

Arenicola (bloodworm) is not included because as Martin has indicated it has its different daily limit (two as opposed to ten).  Nereis is a strange inclusion - I have never encountered any worms of this genus and quite possibly it is a reverting back to the original name (we have numerous Platynereis and and perinereis specie - it could be that some of these have been transferred back to Nereis - I am not au fait with Polychaete taxonomy!)

So regardless of what you call them (shipworm, coral worm, etc) the fact of the matter is that none of them may be collected.

 

[boepens]

That explains it a bit clearer. Now who is going to get half the anglers to believe/understand/follow that law

I don't see it being enforced anywhere and do the 'inspectors' even know the difference