EC: Who is catching what and where in the Eastern Cape - Page 212

Broder · 18-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by nige

Out of interest guys why the restrictions on the catch numbers and size as these fish only follow the warm currents down from east coast if I'am correct,I live on the north west coast of Ireland and in the summer we get a few visitors that follow the warm waters that come up from the gulf stream and the west coast of Africa these all perish come winter would this not be the same for the fish you guys are catching or are these fish smarter on the east coast and know the way back?

by the way really green with envy of the fish you guys can get or summer visitors are mostly brown triggers and verey rare and I mean very rare anything you would put in a tank but do have some nice native stuff but hard to keep a tank at below 15c.

hi Nige. Massively surprised that you guys get anything tropical there at all! RichardMatlock will no doubt share his infinite wisdom on these matters. To my knowledge we have catch regulations to protect breeding stock in northern parts of the regulated area. Also to prevent commercial exploitation of endemic species such as c. marleyi further down south. Similarly to you guys, most of our tropical vagrants also perish in the colder 16 to 18 degree C water in winter in the southern part of our east coast. To my knowledge there are no size catch limits for tropical ornamental fish. But I look forward to Richard's explanation when he returns from his quilting classes.

RichMatlock · 20-02-2012

Well, as per usual, I spent most of the weekend underwater.

Friday after work - hooked up with Cindy and Andre and puddlehopped the pools in front of the old Sea View hotel. Found a nice pool with 2 big Marleyi's and at least 2 big lunulas, caught one.

Saturday morning - dived the buss stop between Kini Bay and Sea View with Jus. Saw lots of common stuff and a whack of nice sized raggies, with one big girl in the middle.

Saturday Afternoon - Dived Swartkops with my sister, Devon, Marius and a buddy. Saw a fair number of aurigas, a vagi, dussumeri surgeon and a lot of convicts. Excellent vis, also found 2 sunk boats and a few thrownets and lures. Devon's crew missed a nice sized angel and got a micro auriga (little fingernail sized) and a micro brown surgeon. New fish are in and tiny again. Oh, and Devon and Marius also hit Mangolds on Sat afternoon/evening. They got a nice sized yellow boxie and a lionfish (strangely enough the first one for PE this year).

Sunday morning - puddlehopped Sea View for a bit with Devon and Marius - nothing out of the ordinary.

Sunday Afternoon - Dived Willow Glen with my sister, Kreef, CGD and Benji. Saw more micro aurigas, some marleyi's and convicts. Also a massive flutefish.

Since I'm off to the Kei on Thursday, I'm saving space for more exotic fish so I didn't bother catching much.

Admiral Bous · 20-02-2012

where about in the kei are you going Rich ? umtata mouth is pumping chocolate , if you going up to that secret river you can find me in the second last boat house on friday

RichMatlock · 20-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral Bous

where about in the kei are you going Rich ? umtata mouth is pumping chocolate , if you going up to that secret river you can find me in the second last boat house on friday

See ya there, we've got a cottage at Presleys....

JuS · 20-02-2012

Just want to say thanks to Richard for saturday morning, and arrangin a tour of Ian's tank...WOW....

Steve Warren · 20-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichMatlock

See ya there, we've got a cottage at Presleys....

Where we went or another place.

RichMatlock · 20-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Warren

Where we went or another place.

Your spot - Ian made friends, we're returning the genny as well....

RichMatlock · 20-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by nige

Out of interest guys why the restrictions on the catch numbers and size as these fish only follow the warm currents down from east coast if I'am correct,

That is correct. As with most things regarding marine regulations, it's always safer to be cautious, hence the strict regulations. In the marine aquarist arena in RSA, there is no limit/restriction on size.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nige

I live on the north west coast of Ireland and in the summer we get a few visitors that follow the warm waters that come up from the gulf stream and the west coast of Africa these all perish come winter would this not be the same for the fish you guys are catching or are these fish smarter on the east coast and know the way back?

Nice to hear, I am surprised about the "African contingent" in your tropical vagrants that wash up as I am sure that the gulf stream would be the only warm current in your area - as per the pic below...

Quote:

Originally Posted by nige

by the way really green with envy of the fish you guys can get or summer visitors are mostly brown triggers and verey rare and I mean very rare anything you would put in a tank but do have some nice native stuff but hard to keep a tank at below 15c.

I assume you mean Balistes capriscus - not the greaetest trigger ever....

There should be a fair number of nasties as well - sargassum fish and the likes... though there is no mention of these on fishbase, (Browsed the 376 different species pf marine fish from Ireland - not much to write home about...). Are your pipefish and sea-horse also as heavily protected as they are here in RSA?.

Having dived the west coast of England and Scotland in summer, I can say that those wrasse are awesome!.

Steve Warren · 20-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichMatlock

Your spot - Ian made friends, we're returning the genny as well....

Can you check for any ripe chillies, Rogan wants to grow them. Also any coffee beans from any trees originating from Coffee Bay?
I take it you will be taking flour and yeast up

AOR · 20-02-2012

Flying in and out of PE this morning.
Damn, you guys have got some prime catching areas just south of the city.
Those rock formations look well protected, some really deep pools I could see from the air.
Water was crystal clear this morning, could see the underwater rock formations going back a few 100m into the sea.

RichMatlock · 20-02-2012

Yup, and you lot have sand.....

We DEFINITELY have the best gulley-diving for SA, pity about the sea temp (bring on the global warming thingy...). I mean Jus and myself puddlehopped (masks and booties/gumboots) with a span of adult raggies on Saturday.

Admiral Bous · 21-02-2012

Rich have you got a gilly 'local' ? i can send you one of my guys up from chani, he is very reliable and will carry and watch your gear and he knows every pool and gully and what is in it . and he knows the latin names of just about all of them so you two should understand each other just fine , just a thought the last time i was at preslies a local led me to believe that there was a cleaner in a big hole , while i looked for the cleaner he borrowed about 2k worth of gear ........some of which can still be seen around achorage hotel and coffee bay

RichMatlock · 21-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral Bous

Rich have you got a gilly 'local' ? i can send you one of my guys up from chani, he is very reliable and will carry and watch your gear and he knows every pool and gully and what is in it . and he knows the latin names of just about all of them so you two should understand each other just fine , just a thought the last time i was at preslies a local led me to believe that there was a cleaner in a big hole , while i looked for the cleaner he borrowed about 2k worth of gear ........some of which can still be seen around achorage hotel and coffee bay

Nope, unlike the slummers, I carry my own gear, find my own fish and catch my own fish. It's because of people "training the locals to find fish" that the situation down at Tshani and the Anchorage Hotel has gone to sh!t and the industry of locals selling fish to anyone with money has exploded. It's also probably indirectly due to people using gillies that your equipment went walkabout.