The commercial fishing sectors in South Africa
27 Jan 2008 Commercial This is the formal fishing sector and can range from relatively small-scale Cape rock oyster fishery, to the highly industrialised multi-million Rand deep-water trawl industry, which primarily targets hake. Over the years the commercial fishing sector has suffered many disputes around fishing entitlement. The finalisation and allocation of medium to long term fishing rights in 2006 aimed to...read more
Pots, traps and hoop nets fishing method
22 May 2008 Pots, traps and hoop nets - Pots, traps and hoop nets are used to catch slower moving or bottom dwelling sea creatures such as rock lobsters, crabs, and octopus. Traps are baited and set on the seafloor for a period of time, before being retrieved. The method is generally very specific, though minor concerns are...read more
Beach seining or treknetting
20 May 2008 Beach seining - Beach seigning or treknetting is traditional fishing method where schools of fish are encircled from the shore with a long net dragged by a rowing boat, and hauled up onto the beach. This method is used to catch yellowtail and mullet in the Western Cape and sardines in KZN during the annual sardine...read more
SASSI nets major greening award
24 Jul 2008 SASSI nets major greening award - WWF´s Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) has scooped a Mail & Guardian Greening the Future award in the hotly contested category "Environmental best practice in not-for-profit organisations." SASSI aims to alert consumers, restauranteurs, wholesalers and fishers about the threats to marine resources. The award´s citation reads: "The Greening...read more
Sardine
5 Aug 2008 Sardine - Sardinops sagax Other names Pilchard SASSI Colour Green Biological Information Very abundant schooling migratory species. Spawing occurs over Agulhas Bank with almost annual migration up the East Coast Habitat Over continental shelf near surface Distribution ...read more
Rock lobster (West coast)
5 Aug 2008 Rock lobster (West coast) - Jasus lalandii Other names Crayfish, kreef SASSI Colour Green Biological Information Slow growing and long lived resident with local movements Habitat Inshore kelp forest and rocky reefs Distribution SW Cape, Namibia Capture Methods Hoop nets, traps,...read more
Anchovy
5 Aug 2008 Anchovy - Engraulis encrasicolus Other names None SASSI Colour Green Biological Information Spawning mostly over Agulhas bank, very abundant. Often in mixed schools with sardine Habitat Over continental shelf near surface Distribution Mostly in upwelling...read more
Harders
8 Aug 2008 Harders - Liza spp. and Mugilspp. Other names Mullet, bokkoms (when salted and dried) SASSI Colour Green Biological Information Form schools near surface, often associated with estuaries for breeding Habitat Inshore tropical and temperate coastal waters and estuaries Distribution Entire coast (16 different species) Capture Methods Gill nets,...read more
Steenbras (West coast)
8 Aug 2008 Steenbras (West coast) - Lithognathus aureti Other names None SASSI Colour Red Biological Information Sex change (male to female) Habitat Extremely shallow inshore water (10m and less) over sandy bottom Distribution Endemic, Angola to Cape Town, main stock in Namibian waters ...read more
Ragged tooth shark
8 Aug 2008 Ragged tooth shark - Carcharius taurus Other names Spotted ragged-tooth shark, raggie, Sand tiger (Australia) SASSI Colour Red Biological Information Sluggish, slow-growing shark with migration, forms seasonal aggregations in regular locailities (e.g. Aliwal Shoal) Habitat Inshore rocky reefs, also in deeper water Distribution ...read more