Several residents have made their voices heard on an article published on the Advertiser’s website regarding illegal gill-net fishing.
Even though the article was aimed at exposing gill-net fishing, most residents were zoned in on fishing without a licence.
Some suggested that catching fish to generate an income should not be frowned upon or even questioned.
One Facebook entry read: “Who is the custodian of fishes to give licences, one wants to be in control of everything while they fail to control what they should, let the people fish.”
Unlike fishing with a rod and reel, the illegal practice of gill-netting involves a net being sprung from one side of the river to the opposite riverbank.
Hundreds of fish are caught, pulled to shore, gutted and sold.
According to Mr Louis Fourie of the Standerton & District Angling Club, these people do not realise the damage they cause to the ecosystem.
“Our anglers strictly adhere to the Transvaal Conservation Ordinance, Ordinance 12 of 1983, to conserve fish species.
“All our anglers are required by law to have legal fishing permits.
“Gill-netting, as well as the selling of fish, is strictly prohibited according to this ordinance.”
Some important points of the Transvaal Conservational Ordinance, Ordinance 12 of 1983:
• A fishing licence is required for angling in any public waters. Important information regarding the numbers and sizes of fish is printed on the reverse side of such licence.
• Only two fishing rods with no more than two hooks per rod are allowed.
• No person shall, while angling, employ a method to hook fish other than in the mouth.
• No person are allowed to catch fish with gill-nets, except the owner where the land completely surrounds such waters. (This means where no river system runs through the waters or dam.)
• No person shall make a feeding area in waters by placing any animal, vegetable or any other substance therein to allure the fish by virtue of the edibility, smell or taste thereof.
• No person shall place an object, which floats in the water, which serves as a marker indicating the place where there is any object, substance, agent or product under the water, which allures, or is likely to allure fish.
• No person is allowed to sell live freshwater fish unless he is the holder of a permit.
Read the complete article in next week’s edition of the Standerton Advertiser.
