Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife would like to advise all recreational anglers that the long awaited changes to the recreational fishing regulations have now been promulgated in terms of Government Gazette No 27453.

These new regulations apply to recreational shore based and ski boat fisherman and affect the bag and size limits of certain fish species that may be caught.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife will be producing and distributing awareness pamphlets highlighting these changes, in an effort to assist anglers with understanding and interpreting these new regulations.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife staff will be enforcing these new regulations with immediate effect and appeals to all anglers to familiarize themselves with these new regulations. While every effort will be given by staff to assist anglers, the onus will be on the individuals to ensure that they abide by these new laws.

The promulgation of these regulations were deemed necessary by the then Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism , Mr Valli Moosa, who declared an emergency in the linefish sector. This was done in accordance with section 16 of the Marine Living Resources Act, which allows the Minister to invoke emergency measures to rebuild fish stocks.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife welcomes these new regulations, as they are designed to afford protection to our dwindling marine resources while ensuring equal and long term usage by all.

Changes

Categories Changed – There are only two species categories that apply to the recreational line fisherman. These are:

1. Prohibited Category - May not fish for, be in possession of, or sell the following:
   • Basking shark (new inclusion)
   • Brindle bass
   • Coelacanth (new inclusion)
   • Great white shark
   • Natal wrasse
   • Pipe fish & Seahorses (new inclusion)
   • Potato bass
   • Sawfishes
   • Seventy four
   • Whale shark (new inclusion)
2. Permitted Category Annexure 7 ( Recreational Fishing) – May fish for and be in possession of subject to bag limits, size limits and closed seasons. MAY NOT SELL CATCH

• See species category Annexure 7 (Government Gazette No 27453 6th April 2005)

Daily Bag Limits Changed:

• 10 species per person per day irrespective of species caught. (applies to Shore & Boat anglers)
• Annexure 7 Species that are not listed fall under the 10 bag limit.
• Listed Species that have a bag limit of over 10 do not apply to this daily bag limit. (Mullet x50)

Bag limits - Following species have had their bag limits changed:

Important: Kob caught from a boat at sea in KZN – 5 per person per day of which 4 or all 5 can be between 40 – 110 cm’s & 1 only may be over 110cm’s

Kob caught from the shore & estuaries East of Cape Agulas ( applies to KZN) – 1 per person per day. 60cm’s

Shad – 4 per person per day in open season (1st December – 30th September)

• Rays, Sharks & Skates (Carteligenouse fish) – 1 specimen per species per person per day.
• Yellowbelly rockcod – 1 per person per day.
• Kob caught from boat in KZN – 5 per person per day of which 4 or all 5 can be between 40 – 110 cm’s & 1 may be over 110cm’s
• Kob caught from estuaries and shore – East Cape Agulhas (applies to KZN) 1 per person per day 60cm’s
• Soldier (santer) – 5 per person per day.
• Galjoen – 2 per person per day.
• Bronze bream – 2 per person per day.
• Garrick – 2 per person per day.
• Shad – 4 per person per day.
• West coast steenbras – 1 per person per day.
• Carpenter (silver fish) – 4 per person per day.
• Geelbek – 2 per person per day.
• Poenskop – 1 per person per day.
• Red steenbras – 1 per person per day.
• Dageraad – 1 per person per day.
• Englishmen – 1 per person per day.
• Red stumpnose – 1 per person per day.
• Roman – 2 per person per day.
• Scotsman – 1 per person per day.
• White mussel cracker – 2 per person per day.
• White steenbras – 2 per person per day.

Bag Limits Introduced – The following species are no longer unlimited. Have now had bag limits imposed:

• Mullet – 50 per person per day.
• Pinky – 10 per person per day.
• Karanteen – 10 per person per day.
• Steentjie – 10 per person per day.
• Fransmadam – 10 per person per day.

Size Limits

Important:

Kob caught from a boat in KZN - you may only be in possession of 4 between 40cm’s – 110cms & 1 of over 110cm’s / Total bag limit 5 or you may have all 5 between 40cm’s – 110cm’s .

Kob caught from the shore or estuary East Cape Agulas (applies to KZN) – you may only be in possession of 1 of 60cm’s or over

Size Limits Increased – The following species size limits have increased:

• Red steenbras – 60 cm’s
• Dageraad – 40cm’s
• Scotsman – 40cm’s
• West coast steenbras – 60cm’s
• Carpenter (silver fish) – 35cm’s
• Yellowbelly rock cod – 60cm’s
• Catface (Spotted rock cod) – 50cm’s
• Kob caught from shore & estuaries East of Cape Agulas (applies to KZN) - 60cm’s x 1 per person per day

Size Limits Introduced – Following species now have size limits imposed:

• Shad – Reduced by 1 month (1st October – 30th November)

Species Not Listed On Permitted Species List Annexure 7

• Rock cods not listed on the permitted species list have a bag limit of 5 per species per day.(Can not be over and above total daily bag limit of 10 species)
• All other species not listed have no size limit, but form part of the daily bag limit of 10