As an every weekend boat fisherman I can say without a doubt that Swartkops is not like it used to be 3 years ago. Here are some reasons, Swartkops is dying. It's too polluted to long. Just yesterday I was out and counted 20 rods on one bank. No bag limits are adhered to. This happens daily and nightly. The canoe guys don't care about the fish size or limits, they sell the fish. Not to mention the illegal netting. The prawn diggers use forks and spades and the hole they leave are knee to waist deep. Some time ago a boater came out the water and they had 12 Grunters, some size and others under. This is just one person, now times that by 200+ boats that visit the river in a month. These are all the contributing factors that are causing the destruction of Swartkops. I'm all for National Parks board to take over running the river, like they do at Sunday's River. Stricker control at the boat clubs, roaming boats to check for permits on and off the river, prawn limits, fish limits, bait diggers that need permits. If Port Elizabeth wants a blue flag type status for the river then Parks Board needs to step up.
As an every weekend boat fisherman I can say without a doubt that Swartkops is not like it used to be 3 years ago.
Here are some reasons,
Swartkops is dying. It's too polluted to long.
Just yesterday I was out and counted 20 rods on one bank. No bag limits are adhered to. This happens daily and nightly.
The canoe guys don't care about the fish size or limits, they sell the fish.
Not to mention the illegal netting.
The prawn diggers use forks and spades and the hole they leave are knee to waist deep.
Some time ago a boater came out the water and they had 12 Grunters, some size and others under. This is just one person, now times that by 200+ boats that visit the river in a month.
These are all the contributing factors that are causing the destruction of Swartkops.
I'm all for National Parks board to take over running the river, like they do at Sunday's River. Stricker control at the boat clubs, roaming boats to check for permits on and off the river, prawn limits, fish limits, bait diggers that need permits.
If Port Elizabeth wants a blue flag type status for the river then Parks Board needs to step up.
Nice Jase
thanks bud