Gone fishing - for a good cause
Going fishing these holidays? Why not record your catch in your own personal online log book? The CatchReport webpage (www.catchreport.co.za) enables you to do just that. It was conceived and created by recreational anglers to improve the knowledge base of recreational angling and ensure the sustainability of our line fish resources. You are invited to log your catches on this website and become an active citizen scientist and help test the pilot phase of the project. You can then access your personal “catch log” any time you like!
It is widely acknowledged that nearshore marine resources in South Africa have been depleted to the point at which the future of many fish species is a major environmental concern. Recreational angling has a long and rich history in South Africa. However the role that recreational anglers are playing in marine conservation initiatives and sustainable marine resource use is being increasingly highlighted. There are several causes of the decline in fish stocks, but overfishing and environmental degradation are the two most likely causes in almost every case.
Records of your fish catches and fishing activity are an extremely valuable source of information, especially when combined with commercial catch data. The rate at which fish are caught, the areas where and times when they are caught and their sizes are the best, and sometimes the only information that scientists have to estimate trends in fish abundance.
CatchReport, one of three projects that fall under the FishforLife umbrella project along with the Sea Fish Atlas and Fishtory, and anglers (or anyone) can contribute to all three. The Fishtory projects ask you to share your historical angling photographs. Extensive catch records have been kept in the form of photos, angling journals and newspaper clippings.To participate, please register on the FishforLife webpage and follow the instructions to upload your scans or digital copies of your photos to Fishtory. If you have large collections of photographs or are unable to upload your photos yourself please contact us:
FishforLife webpage at www.fishforlife.co.za . r.thornycroft@sanbi.org.za. Facebook: FishforLife Twitter @FishforLifeSA)