Index Archive July 2007 to December 2007

(09-Dec-07) Proposed Ban on Diving

The government is proposing a total ban on diving in certain areas as a way of combating the poaching of abalone stocks. The out of control poaching has been going on for many years with the government seemingly unable to police our natural resources in any meaningful way. Bureaucracy and bungling officials probably the main culprits for the lack of any decisive or coercive efforts to stem the tide of illegal poachers.

The classic was the armed defense force soldiers policing the National Spearfishing Championships weigh-in in Port Elizabeth while in the background a heavily laden abalone poacher slowly made his way up the beach and into the dunes.

The unfortunate upshot of any irrational proposals like this one is that other legal sea users might eventually say enough is enough and choose to go that route themselves.

Constitutionally there can be no validity in penalizing one group for another group’s unlawful action. Marine and Coastal Management together with the Department of Environmental Affairs need to come up with a solution to this problem that does not impinge on the rights of other sea users.

(03-Dec-07) December 2007

We have reached the last month of 2007 already. Basie sent up a catch up on the happenings at Aliwal Shoal as usual. The Monthly report by John for November is up as well.

Midlands Spearfishing Open Trial – 1December 07

The trial was dived on Deep Scottburgh with the borders of the area being Black Rock railway bridge to Deep Cracker in the North and Umdoni Point in the south. This area was chosen to keep divers away from the sanctuary area. Conditions were a moderate southerly current with 4 to 5m visibility on the top with the last 4m opening up to 8m visibility. A 15knot southerly blew for most of the day and this cleared up the top visibility but brought in some cold water on the bottom. The launch was tricky at Rocky Bay and one of the boats that launched at Umkomaas went over. Nobody hurt but plenty gear lost and boat damaged. Divers that dived on 19 Fathoms had top to bottom visibility in 30m but still a cold layer on the bottom. Some good catches weighed-in as can be seen from the results with your choice of fish now playing a critical role. The new points scoring system favours less threatened species and most gamefish score highly and this is what divers need to target in their catches if they want to do well.

New photo in the gallery from Jason Falken.

(27-Nov-07) Blue Water Tuna Comp…

Next year on the 7th May a new comp, the Blue Water Yellow Fin Tuna Open will be held. More info and an entry form has been posted here.

(22-Nov-07) Know, know, know your boat…

Ian Tennent sent us a light hearted article of their boat troubles at Cape Vidal.

(15-Nov-07) Winter Gamefish

The Wahoo Winter Gamefish was held at Cape Vidal again this year and was once again a great success, Andrew Henwood reports here.

(14-Nov-07) Border Open

The Border Open Challenge was help in October this year after being cancelled due to bad weather last year. John has posted a short run down of the event.

(12-Nov-07) Open Trial hosted by Southern Natal - November 12, 2007

The trial was held on Deep Scottburgh with boundaries being Umkomaas River in the north and Pennington in the south. The sea was bumpy from the strong south-westerly wind that had blown the previous day and the launch was not that easy. The visibility out deep was good with 8 to 10m on the bottom with a strong north-south current. Some of the divers had problems with very aggressive black tip sharks. One diver getting a big fright from a shark trying to bite his fins whilst he was subduing a fish. Full results were posted here.

History of SAUFF – Appeal for Help

Brent Addison is at present trying to compile the “History of Underwater Fishing in South Africa”. He would like to include at least the following topics.

1. How it all got started and the early pioneers, people and clubs.
2. Names of Controllling Body e.g. SAUU, SAFA, SAUFF and when changed
3. Names of Administrators e.g. SF Officer, Records Officer, Selectors and years in position
4. SA Teams, Years, Venues, Positions both Team and Individual
5. National Championships – Year, Venue, Results
6. Trophies
7. S.A. Records Year by Year

“Beneath Southern Seas” by Tim Condon, provides some of the early history from the first Nationals in 1961 to 1971 and thereafter he has nothing till 2004 at Stilbaai.

Anyone who has any information or knows who might have this information which might help build up a better picture, call or e-mail Brent. Any info or photographs would be greatly appreciated.

Brent Addison
082-322750

(02-Nov-07) News from October

John has posted the October report with the low down for the month. Seems more and more people are noticing the change in shark behaviour near Aliwal.

Basies Aliwal Report

Basies report to keep us up to date with Aliwal is up.

(24-Oct-07) SA Underwater Fishing Fereration

We received this letter explaining why registration is need by SAUFF. "In order to continue to exist, SAUFF needs to have some way in which to raise funds to support itself and its members. In the past the old SAFA raised funds by taking a portion of the sale of fish from National Championships ..."

(19-Oct-07) Trials

A little late but here the Trials results for saturday 13 october are. Area dived was deep scottburgh. Very strong north-south current and milky water ontop but 6 to 8m on the bottom. Plenty of sharks about and lots of fish about in the strong current. Spread Sheet with all results is posted here

(04-Oct-07) Aliwal Shoal

Pollution from Sappi Saiccor, Strong easterlies and westerlies have been the order for the month at Aliwal, Basie has sent through the low down for September.

(30-Sep-07) September

Every month John writes a short monthly report of the happenings of the past month. This has become really popular with our close to 30 000 readers a month. Here Septembers Report is.

(24-Sep-07) SAMLMA Meeting

The South African Marine Linefish Management Association held a meeting. These are the Minutes of the SAMLMA Annual General Meeting held on 5 July 2006 at the Sea Point Research Aquarium in Cape Town. These are in the interests of anyone using the sea.

(21-Sep-07) PE Raggies

Port Elizabeth Raggies still have what it takes to Keep Divers on their Toes by Gletwyn Rubidge

(10-Sep-07) Team Selection for World Champs in Venezuela

"CONGRATULATIONS to the following athletes. They have been invited by the National selectors to compete in a National Squad Competition. This Trial will be the main selection criteria for the S A team- Margarita Island early June 2008." More here ...

(03-Sep-07) August Report

Most of the action this past month was with bottom fish as the cuda run is now over on the Natal coast. Natal snoek are being taken on the north coast and Tinley area is a good bet, read more of Johns August report.

Aliwal

We have a report for Aliwal Shoal for August 2007 from Basie Ackerman up.

(24-Aug-07) Photos in the Gallery

We have finally managed to get some of the last photos sent through to us uploaded to the Gallery, thanks to all for their contributions.

(14-Aug-07) Spearo Profile

Basie Ackermann sent through of profile of himself. He is a well known spearo in SA and regular contributor to Spearfishingsa. Its worth a read and always interesting to see what attracts people to this fantastic sport.

(11-Aug-07) The Spanish approach

A report back by S. A. diver Gyula Plaganyi who recently represented South Africa at the Euro-Africa Zone Qualifier spearfishing championships held in Cadiz, Spain.

(05-Aug-07) Border Open Spearfishing Challenge

The Border Open Spearfishing Challenge 2007 is to be held on the 20th October 2007 at Hole in the Wall Transkei. Entry fee is R250. Entry forms are available here as a pdf download.

Aliwal Report back by Basie

We have put up Basies monthly report on what has been going on at Aliwal Shoal.

SAUFF affairs

From the Exec Committee – A letter from the Chairman has been posted here to keep us up to speed with SAUFF affairs, this is the second letter this year, the first was posted here.

(31-July-07) July Report

The July Monthly Report written by John has been posted.

(04-July-07) Aliwal

Basie sent though a report back on the happenings on Aliwal for June.