Investigate trek netting on False Bay Coast

THIS is an open letter to the honourable MEC for Agriculture and Fishing in the Western Cape and the department heads of Marine Coastal Management and the honourable executive mayor of the Western Cape Mr Dan Plato and to all fishers fishing on the False Bay Coast.

For years now fishers were complaining on the way and method trek fishing is being done on the False Bay Coast.

There were many silent allegations on the lack of policing of the owners of these trek fishing permits on the conditions.

Many of us have been witnesses to the trek of thousands of fish year in year out.

We have noticed that these nets are almost in line with illegal gill nets that allows nothing to escape once cast and drawn in.

We are painfully aware that fish stocks are diminishing at an alarming rate and officials blame illegal fishing on our coast at night.

Yet we hear and see nothing of law enforcement to curb this extremely valuable food resource.

But we seem to overlook the legal trek net fishing in broad daylight that is nettings thousands of all kinds of fish.

I want to pose these questions and I speak on behalf of many concerned shore fishers fishing on the False Bay Coast.

Who benefits from this extremely lucrative fishing exercise?

One or two family members, the casual labour used to help launch and cast and trek in these nets with all kinds of fish worth thousands upon thousands of rand; no communities are benefiting to make a living of these netting of thousands of fish in False Bay, but only one and maybe two families.

When you do your investigation on site ask the “casual trekkers” who work for the permit holder, where are their pay sheets, the UIF deductions and other benefits as we all know fish is very, very expensive, as is or prepared.

We, the community of the Western Cape, of which I am a member, want an immediate investigation by all the role-players on the trek netting with permits on the False Bay Coast.

I challenge you mayor and all the officials dealing with fishing on our coastline to go and look on social media and see the worrying, concerned comments and desperate utterances on the net fishing in False Bay.

Why is this type of fishing being allowed to continue, why must others go out with boats and line or fish from the shore and so give our fish stocks a chance, but this trek netting is raping the seashore of all fish in it’s ugly hug?

There is talk in the fishing community of mass protests to bring this type of net fishing to the attention of the relevant authorities, but I am a strong believer in the power of the media and the power of the pen.

Investigate the above with extreme urgency or soon we all will be fishing is gold fish and gappies in fishing bowls in our kitchens.

Allow me to quote the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in the event of theabove type of fishing being highlighted in the media, “I fear four newspapers more than I fear a thousand bayonets.”