Marine Law Enforcement Unit on high alert

The opening of the recreational WCRL season on Friday 15 November 2013 was greeted eagerly by the recreational fishers around the Peninsula, keen to take the opportunity to catch the recreational quota of four lobsters per fisher per day.

A total of 48 officers from the City’s Marine Law Enforcement Unit, Table Mountain National Park’s Marine Unit, South African Police Services’ Border Police, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the South African Revenue Services (SARS) Customs Water Wing participated in the operation over the weekend.

The slipways at Kommetjie, Witsand and Miller’s Point were monitored and all permits and catches were checked and recorded. Vehicle and foot patrols covered the coastline and vessel patrols covered the in-shore coastal areas. The majority of fishers launched at the Kommetjie slipway and recorded successful catches for the day.

‘The general adherence to size and bag limits is a testament to the success of ongoing compliance operations. For the duration of the operation (15 – 17 November 2013) a total 547 WCRL permits were checked, and a total of 1 920 WCRL were caught. A total of 144 vessels were also checked during the operation,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

The majority of the WCRL were landed at the Kommetjie slipway and commercial snoek catches were monitored at the Millers Point Slipway with a total of 26 commercial fishing permits checked and a catch of 13 151 snoek recorded.

A total of seven fines with a total value of R3 050 were issued in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act for fishing without a permit, exceeding the bag limit and not having a permit available for inspection. Three suspects were arrested outside the Soetwater Coastal Resort for being in possession of large quantities of WCRL and abalone. Officers confiscated 18 whole WCRL, 29 WCRL tails, 1 WCRL in berry, three whole abalone and diving equipment.

Six fines were issued in terms of the Traffic Act for unlicensed motor vehicles and/or trailers to the value of R4 200.

Members of the public are reminded of the dates and bag limits for the 2013/2014 WCRL season:

• Recreational WCRL fishers require a permit to fish. These are obtainable from your nearest South African Post Office
• There is daily bag limit of four WCRLs per person per day for the duration of the fishing season
• The number of fishing days for the 2013/2014 recreational WCRL fishing season has been determined at 26 days
• The 2013/2014 WCRL recreational fishing season opens on 15 November 2013 and closes on 21 April 2014
• Fishing was allowed from 15 November 2013 to 17 November 2013
• No fishing will be allowed from 18 November 2013 to 13 December 2013
• Fishing will be allowed every day of the week from 14 December 2013 to 1 January 2014
• No fishing will be allowed from 2 January 2014 to 17 April 2014
• Fishing will be allowed on public holidays from 18 April 2014 to 21 April 2014

Members of the public are encouraged to report any illegal activity to the City’s law enforcement control room on 021 596 1999.