Zandvlei Trust

ZIMP - Fish.

2012.

20/06/2012 - A photo of a Garrick or Leervis caught, tagged and released by Case Veugelers some time before the Golden Algal bloom. He laments he may never see such a specimen again at Zandvlei, because of the behaviour of some, so called fishermen, at the estuary mouth in March / April 2012.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

This ones details were recorded for research purposes.

14/04/2012 - A check at 16h30 on the north side of Royal Road bridge off Axminister Road, and then the estuary mouth.       updated 15/04/2012.

The gulls were busy with this fish.

About 30 metres of waterline had some small dead mullet, which the gulls are busy removing. 

The toffee wrapper gives an indication of the size.

The gulls waiting to return the the area where I took the photo.

At the mouth.

There was washed up Potamogeton (pondweed) against the berm together with a light grey film on the dark brown water surface. The were a number of dead floating fish and also live fish swimming about in the water between the promenade and the sand berm.

On 12/04/2012 - In the late afternoon there were reports of hundreds of mullet of varing sizes beaching themselves on the berm, with the gulls having a feast. Some people were intervening be trying to scoop them up and get them into the sea across the beach.

What appears to be a young dead leervis and 2 mullet swimming feebily in the murky water next to it.

The water is discoloured with a film on the surface.

Closer look, for those who may be able to see there is a small mullet making 
a swirl in the water near the grass.

07/04/2012 - A check on the the Sand River channel during the late morning showed the litter nets and the metal trap taking strain.
The water flow at that time was about 750mm per second at the metal trap and about 500mm per second beyond the last litter net. 

Another dead carp in the Uitsig channel.

A crisp packet in the background gives an idea of scale to the size of the fish.

See the photos from the inspection.   updated 10/04/2012.

06/04/2012 - This Leervis / Garrick was found dead in the vlei, near the caravan park.

It had no apparent injuries or visible damage to it.

This gives an idea how big it it was. What a beautiful looking fish.

Part of a very large shoal of herring in the estuary mouth on 06/04/2012 with the full moon
high tide coming in..

There was certainly a dramatic increase of fishermen at Zandvlei today 06/04/2012 being Easter Friday, a public holiday. The Peace Officers instructed / advised a fisherman to remove his live bait from the vlei.

02/04/2012 - Case Veugelers posted this report on 31/03/2012 with his photos and observations on the conditions at the estuary mouth in the morning.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The toxic dark waters of the vlei viewed from Royal Road bridge looking north.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The view from the bridge looking south, the water is flowing strongly out to sea.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The water flowing across the weir with the Royal Road bridge in the background.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The outflow. 
It was unfortunate that there was not heavier rainfall on Thursday to help with the throughflow and flushing of the vlei. We are greatfull for the amount which did fall and help washout to sea.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Thousands of herring pooling at the surface trapped behind the weir.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

A view from the edge of the channel wall.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Checking to see what species they are and the condition of the fish.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

This sample basket are herring and are trapped at the surface of the water behind the weir.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Soles are bottom feeders and dwellers, this one is gasping for air at the waters surface.
A clear indicator of the confirmed algal bloom.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

This baby sole does not have much longer to live.

04/04/2012 - Anton Ressel posted this email report                                                    new 04/04/2012.
on Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 9:52 PM, he  wrote: Guys, I was there last night and this morning and would like to clear up a few things.

1. The kob and leeries that were shoaling near the mouth were almost certainly there to escape the pollution from further up - they seemed almost 'dazed' and it was clear that there was an issue with water quality. The leeries especially looked a very strange colour and were 'spotted', and many of the smaller baitfish were dead or dying. This morning we saw a few dead juvenile leeries further up the vlei as well.

2. The guy who caught that big kob on an 'angel' hook is a commercial fisherman who lives nearby.

photograph by A&C Photography.                                                                 photograph by A&C Photography.  

And look what I have got.....                                                Carrying away the the loot.......

photograph by Peter Kruger.

....and another one gaffed.

3. The diver shot 6 kob this morning - he drives an Isuzu with a CFG reg as already posted by another member. Hunt him down and do your worst, please.

4. Last night law enforcement were excellent. They chased away the scum, and policed the place until the very early hours - but not enough to avoid at least those 7 or 8 kob, at least one decent leervis and a few bull mullet being either shot, foulhooked or gaffed by the scum.

5. Early this morning upon receiving a call from a friend that the fish were still there and so were the gaffers, I called the Zandvlei office of Nature Conservation and spoke to a young man called Kyle. We met him down at the mouth and he was amazing - he coordinated the bulldozer, got his guys in place to prevent any further fishing and basically just took charge - well done young man! He even drove there in his own car to sort things out as their vehicle was elsewhere.

6. As of 12pm this afternoon, the large fish were absent and had either swum out the mouth or back up the vlei (other than those that were killed of course). The bulldozer was busy dredging and as I write this the rain is pouring so hopefully that will help the few fish left escape to the sea.

7. The water quality this morning throughout the vlei was terrible - brown and smelly and clearly polluted. There were sick, weak and confused fish of all sizes all over the show.

photograph by Bowen Boshier.

There were 4 eels in this group making there way towards the mouth. 3 were about 500mm long the other larger almost 1 metre.

photograph by Bowen Boshier.

There were cob struggling around Thesens bridge.

To conclude, while it was heartening to see how many guys last night were completely opposed to the frenzied actions of the treble hook and gaff morons, it was equally disturbing to see just how many absolute idiots there were who just could not see anything wrong with gafffing a sick, confused and trapped kob in a confined space.
The level of human rubbish of all colours that was out and about at the vlei last night, made me very depressed for the future of our fisheries indeed.

photograph by A&C Photography.  

This was only part of the frenzied mob waiting for the fish and Metro Law Enforcement to leave.

photograph by A&C Photography.

Another view.

And as one other poster pointed out, many of these guys were from fishing clubs, driving big 4 x 4's etc - in other words, NOT STARVING. No excuse for their actions.

photograph by Bowen Boshier.

3 occupants in this vehicle were asked to leave the area. As above.

On a final note, it seems that Cape Nature are finally hearing us and are in the process of establishing a new Forum to protect the Vlei. Some may not like it - it will mean tighter policing, more restrictions etc - but if we want our kids to be able to catch a fish there in future, it has to be done and really fast.

Regards, 
Capt Haddock

As per my post on Sealine, law enforcement arrived around 8.45pm last night and they took charge very well indeed, considering the large crowd etc.

photograph by David Muller.

Metro Law Enforcement.

Kyle from Nature Conservation was fantastic, I went past again at around 5pm this evening and he was still there, in the pouring rain. The guy has singlehandedly made a big impact on saving those fish.

photograph by David Muller.

Walking the fish out the mouth of the estuary.

The diver was seen there this morning very early by a fellow sealiner, whom I spoke to. He saw the guy shoot 3 fish and he said he had shot '3 or 4' others. His registration number is on Sealine as well, would be good for him to get his just desserts.

Have to second your comment about Cassandra and her team, including Kyle and David. Those guys are like David vs Goliath, trying to police the whole vlei with what appears to be zero legal, political or statutory support at all.

Give them back their Peace Officer rights now please Mr Asmal, not after this anomaly has caused all the fish in the vlei to be wiped out, on your watch.

Regards
Anton.

02/04/2012 - Case Veugelers posted this email report on 28/03/2012 addressing it to Dalton Gibbs and Cassy Sheasby. Copying a number of others.   new 02/04/2012.

Article from the Cape Times 26/03/2012.

I spent 5hrs on the vlei today and am very worried at what I saw and observed. I launched at the Yacht Club and the first thing I noticed was the colour of the water. It seems to be like a brown sediment that is suspended in the water? 
Also very concerning.....not a sign of any bait fish / harders. 
I traveled up towards the mouth and notice shoals of mullet / springers, even their little babies in tow all making their way towards the mouth. Now these springers were always within the Marina area where they breed and one used to come across schools of them.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Checking the condition of the harders towards the mouth of the vlei.

The water only started to "clear up" once you reached the sand banks, just before the pedestrian (Thesens bridge). Still not a sign of a harder anywhere along the "river banks". Once I was in the area of the sand bank one saw more and more harders and the water was clearer. I carried on and noticed people on the road bridge and immediately knew there were fish in the same "slaughter area". I "parked" my boat and walked over to the area.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The adult fishermen are trying to foul hook the fish with a spoon on the line.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

This one broke the spoon off, and has it stuck in its body.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The shiny light colour on the underside midway down the fish is the broken off spoon stuck in the belly.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Snagged another one.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Another one being reeled in.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

It is upside down and being pulled out of the water.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The "proud and responsible fisherman setting a good example" showing the youngsters how it is done.

There I am met with a crowd trying to foul hook a school of cob, see photos attached. Some guy already had two big fish in his boot, then another one was hooked, but it snapped the guys line and you can see the lure still stuck under it's belly where it was foul hooked.  Anyway I managed to get hold of the Law Enforcement guys there and they quickly put an end to the fishing...telling people you are not allowed to fish there etc.and saying they will try and put up a new "NO FISHING" sign. (Their contact number is 021 788 1148, so if anyone during the day, sees this type of thing going on, call them).

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The 2 cob being put in the boot of this mans (with pale blue shirt) car. 

photograph by Case Veugelers.

The school of cob is the smaller dark spot in the photo.

Well that was a bit of luck, the dark spot in the water is a school of cob, which maybe will survive. I believe you, Dalton, have organized for the area to be guarded overnight until such time as you can open the mouth....much appreciated.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Off to check out the Marina channels and the northern areas.

I then set off to investigate the rest of the vlei. I only came across about 3 dead fish but also noticed a lot of sea gulls on the water and now know that where they are sitting it is because there are some dead fish floating.
I had put out a big, strong live bait and trolled from the mouth, through the Marina channels and out by the Bird hide and towards the Bird Sanctuary area, just opposite the river entrance from Rutter Road, in front of the Fish Eagles nest tree. I anchored and cast out my live bait, this strong bait trolled all the way from the mouth, it did not last 5 min and it was dead! 
Put out another and the same affect, once they go down to the bottom strata of the water, they die? 
I have tagged a lot of juvenile leervis and am concerned that they will not survive in this "polluted" water, and hope they are making their way towards the mouth.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

A dead fish floating in the water.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Brown waters in the Marina channels.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

Another channels same story.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

A dead kurper which some gulls were having a go at.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

1st live bait did not last 5 minutes.

photograph by Case Veugelers.

2nd one did not fair much better.

What are your biologist saying is the problem with the water and do you know what is killing the fish. I think this water condition is being caused by the weeds somehow???
I also think you need to keep the mouth open for a few days so that it can clean out the system? There is a full moon and spring tide on the 4th April...

PS  This is the first time in years that I never saw, had a chase or a hit on my live bait, and I average at least 3 leervis an outing.....today not a sign!