Index Archive January 2005 to June 2005
(03-Jun-05) Salt Rock Migratory Fish Challenge and Wahoo Winter Gamefish 2005
The Migratory Fish Challenge is targeted at cuta, snoek, kingfish, garrick, daga, brusher, grunter and biggest crayfish. There are 3 prizes allocated per species. All in all 24 catogaries. There is also a lucky draw for a dive watch valued at R3500 for those who enter before 1st of July.
Entry is R175 per diver and includes grub and a t-shirt. Weigh in will be at the umdloti ski boat club at 15h00, more info is up on their site.
The Wahoo Winter Gamefish 2005 will be held at Cape Vidal on the 23rd July, entry forms available for download here.
(01-Jun-05) May Monthly Report
Johns Monthly Report for May is up here, as usual it has the lastest news and is well worth a read.
(19-May-05) Coastal Fishes of southern Africa
The new book "Coastal Fishes of southern Africa" by Phil and Elaine Heemstra is out now. The link leads you to their online order page. Its an asset for any South African, spearo, scuba diver fisherman or anyone interested in our fish. Softcover: 512 pp; 235 x 165 mm Printed full color throughout Published by National Inquiry Services Centre(NISC) and the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) ISBN: 1-920033-01-7
(14-May-05) Dive Report by Darrell Hattingh
Trials Results 7 May 2005
Trials were dived in the Hibberdene area with excellent conditions making for some good bags. The visibility was very good with a north to south current running. Fish of the trial was a 20kg poensie that JP Kroll landed after it holed up in eighty foot of water.
The full results are as follows:
- 1. Jaco Blignaut
- Guyla Plaganyi
- Graham Carlisle
- John Girdza
- Jethro Mc carthy
- Angelo Spada
- JP Kroll
- Tim Theunissen
- Chris West.
KZN Teams for Spearfishing Nationals 2005
A Team
Gyula Plaganyi
Jaco Blignaut
Angelo Spada
B Team
Len De Beer
Jethro McCarthy
Graham Carlisle
C Team
John Girdza
JP Kroll
Tim Theunissen
Development Team
Owen Tessendorf
Philippe Lamoral
Craig Heslop
Well done to these spearos and all the best for the Nationals.
We have received a few really nice pics of good fish in the last 3 weeks, all are up in the Gallery.
(29-Apr-05) New Fish Regulations
The new fishing regulations came into effect from the 6 April 2005 with an amendment to the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998. The changes affecting us as spearfishermen are as follows: No spearfishing in estuaries. Fish limit is back to a maximum of ten(10) fish per day. Bronze bream down to 2 per day, dageraad 1 per day. Shad or elf drops to four per day. Galjoen 2 per day along with garrick and geelbek. Poenskop, red steenbras, Scotsman, white steenbras, yellowbelly rockcod, englishman and red stumpnose all one. Roman 2 along with white musselcracker. These are the major changes as I see them but probably a good idea to have a laminated list of the new limits on your boat or in your car.
April Monthly Report
With the 10 fish per day rule back, the organizers of Nationals need to have a re-think as to how the Nationals is run. If you are diving Nationals and need to stay within the quota you will probably be continually upgrading your catch. Read more in Johns report.
(18-Mar-05) Hibiscus Gamefish Open 2005
Hibiscus Gamefish Open 2005 is going to be help on the 14th May 2005 between Tugela Mouth and Port Edward.
Four new photos added to the Gallery »
(11-Mar-05) Report back by Otto Theron - Sodwana
Otto Shot a 16.8kg Kaakap at Sodwana Bay on 18 February 2005, Hi report back is here »
(28-Feb-05) February 2005 report
Good conditions for what is generally a poor month for diving along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, more in the monthly report »
(08-Feb-05) New Addtion to the Merit board
Congratulations to Jurie Niemand with his additions to the Gamefish Merit Board (7 fish).
Also two new pics in the Photo Gallery. Thanks to all for their submissions over the years we have built up an amazing gallery of over 200 photos so far »
(19-Jan-05) Bird Island Incident by Adrian Barichievy
Unlike Aliwal which is apparently still open, Bird Island has already been gazetted etc due to it being a Perlamoen hot spot.
I dived there over Xmas with some of the guys from the border undersea club, after the water wing in East London had confirmed verbally that as far as they were concerned it was still open.
We were buzzed with a military helicopter, then later arrested at sea the same day by 2 Sea fisheries vessels. The intention was to confiscate our boat, R 100 000. fine etc, they went as far as to have a state prosecutor on the boat.
We had about 80kg of fish on board, which were still within bag limits.
We put up quite a protest and eventually got off quite lightly with a R 1000.00 fine each, fish confiscated and gear confiscated. Our gear was returned to us after we paid our admission of guilt fine, the 80kg or so of fish that were confiscated went off as the sea fisheries vessel had no refrigeration and only returned to PE the following day (fish were dumped, bit of a waste).
Sea fisheries claimed the fact that we had been given false information by the authorities in EL was no excuse for breaking the law »
(03-Jan-05) New on the Gamefish merit Board
Congratulations to Brad Carr for his submissions to the Picasso Gamefish Merit Board, 4 monster fish.
Johns December report is up here, as usual it makes for good reading.
Spearfishingsa has had another good year with out readership still climbing - John and I wish all spearfishermen and their families a happy 2005 »
species of fish are permitted with their minimum size and bag limits etc are out, we have put a copy for easy download. 
report back on a trip off Cape Point hunting yellowfin tuna. 
