Hook the right catch

The rich waters off the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast are home to thousands of fish species and are a hotspot for anglers looking for the biggest catch.
All fishing activities on our coastline require an up-to-date permit, with restrictions on many fish species in place to ensure the health and future success of each population.
With so many fish in the sea, however, few people know which species the law permits them to catch, so here are five of the best fish in season to go for this time of year, as outlined by the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI):

1) Shad (elf)

Shad is the most important species caught by recreational shore anglers along the entire eastern seaboard of South Africa, accounting for up to 80% of the total catch in the KZN recreational shore fishery.

Season information: Shad season is closed from October 1 to November 30.
Daily bag limit: 4 fish per person, per day.
Minimum legal size limit: A shad must be at least 30 centimetres in length to be kept.
Sale information: Shad is a recreational species and may not be sold commercially.
Maximum size recorded: 100 centimetres in length.
Maximum weight recorded: 10 kilograms.
Maximum age recorded: 10 years.

2) Karranteen (strepie)

Although a relatively small fish, karranteen form an important part of the overall catch in KZN and are ranked as the second most important species by number after shad. They are also heavily utilised by subsistence fishermen and play an important role as grazers in the inshore marine environment.

Season information: Karranteen may be targeted by fishermen throughout the year.
Daily bag limit: 10 fish per person, per day.
Minimum legal size limit: A karranteen must be at least 15 centimetres in length to be kept.
Sale information: Karranteen is both eaten and used as a bait fish, so it may be sold with an up-to-date permit.
Maximum size recorded: 30 centimetres in length.
Maximum weight recorded: 700 grams.
Maximum age recorded: 6 years.

3) Blacktail (kolstert)

This is the third most important fish species caught in the KZN shore fishery. It has a slow growth rate and is known to reach over 20 years of age. Despite this slow growth rate, blacktail is an extremely abundant species along the eastern seaboard of South Africa and appears to be capable of handling relatively high fishing pressure. This is probably due to its small size, low age of maturity, adaptable reproduction, high breeding output and general lifestyle.

Season information: Blacktail may be targeted by fishermen throughout the year.
Daily bag limit: 5 fish per person, per day.
Minimum legal size limit: A blacktail must be at least 20 centimetres in length to be kept.
Sale information: Blacktail is a recreational species and may not be sold commercially.
Maximum size recorded: 40 centimetres in length.
Maximum weight recorded: 2.7 kilograms.
Maximum age recorded: 21 years.
4) Stonebream (stinker)

Stonebream has become an increasingly important shore-angling species caught along the KZN coast, particularly since numbers of other more popular species have decreased in the last 20 years.

Season information: Stonebream may be targeted by fishermen throughout the year.
Daily bag limit: 5 fish per person, per day.
Minimum legal size limit: There is no size limit for catches of this species.
Sale information: Stonebream is a recreational species and may not be sold commercially.
Maximum size recorded: 50 centimetres in length.
Maximum weight recorded: 2.6 kilograms.
Maximum age recorded: 10 years.

5) Cape stumpnose (silver bream)

A very important fish species caught in the Eastern Cape and KZN. Of all the species mentioned in this list, Cape stumpnose is the only one that is estuarine dependent, which means its young use estuaries as nursery areas. After living in an estuary for between one to two years, adolescent Cape stumpnose leave the river mouth and migrate into the ocean. Degradation of estuaries along much of the South African coastline may have resulted in an overall reduction in the overall population, or ‘biomass’ of this species.

Season information: Cape stumpnose may be targeted by fishermen throughout the year.
Daily bag limit: 5 fish per person, per day.
Minimum legal size limit: A Cape stumpnose must be at least 20 centimetres in length to be kept.
Sale information: Cape stumpnose is a recreational species and may not be sold commercially.
Maximum size recorded: 45 centimetres in length.
Maximum weight recorded: 2.4 kilograms.
Maximum age recorded: Unknown.

To make informed decisions when buying fish to eat, visit: www.wwf.org.za/sassi

Members of the public can report any illegal or suspected illegal activities to the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Marine Anti-Poaching Hotline: 083 380 6298.

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