[PHOTOS] Gill netters’ gear seized
The illegal gill netters were cleaning out the rivers of marine life
AN illegal gill netting operation was uncovered on the southern banks of Illovo River underneath the N2 on Friday, 22 April.
Between 13 and 15 large gill nets were found directly beneath the N2 bridge over the Illovo River before 8am by a member of the Illovo community, who also discovered three makeshift rafts, paddles and an array of substitute floats, sinkers and weights.
A mound of fish was hurriedly cleared away by the band of about 12 netters, who quickly left the scene when they realised they’d been discovered. By the time the Illovo Beach resident, who preferred to remain unnamed, called Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to the scene, the men had fled.
District conservation officer for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Lawrence Shezi said the illegal gill netters were cleaning out the rivers of marine life such as skates, grunter, perch, moonfish and crabs, at a rapid rate. When the Sun arrived, accompanied by the CCPO, dead specimens of these species were seen in the shallows of Illovo River and several dead fish indicated where a pile of fish had been hurriedly cleared away.
Shezi added that he believed the netters had established their operation for some months. Similar operations had been discovered in other rivers at Karridene and further south at Umgababa in the last two months.
“When we look at the river and shine a light on the surface, we usually find fish breaching the surface, but lately there’s nothing – a sign that the rivers are being emptied of fish,” he said.
He said the wildlife organisation often patrol the rivers to look for signs of illegal netting. “We look out for signs of make-shift floats attached to the nets that line the width of the river, which the netters set as markers as they trap fish,” said Shezi. He explained that it was not uncommon for netters to set the nets across several rivers and then move from river to river, checking on them during the night and in the early hours of the morning.
Shezi’s comments were borne out by signs of a rudimentary camp – the embers of a campfire were burning out, a pan was discarded nearby and a few sets of clothes lay in a pile next to a length of green soap. On closer examination, the design of the makeshift rafts was inventive with blue tarpaulin, similar to that used in freight and transport, wrapped around a wooden frame. Similarly, paddles were crafted from shafts of cricket bat-width wood attached to poles. Rocks covered in plastic bags were tied to anchor the nets. KZN Wildlife confiscated the gear and removed it to their Kingsburgh base for processing.
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