AN Illovo Beach resident, along with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), had organised a strategic plan to monitor and catch a man who was involved in illegal gill netting in the Illovo River. The foreign national was arrested on May 8 and appeared in court the following day.

According to the resident who spearheaded the operation, and who wishes to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, the man was arrested while he was attempting to flag down a taxi on the freeway after one of these illegal fishing sessions.

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“He had dozens of juvenile fish and sea animals, as well as six gill nets, each ranging from 20 to 40 metres in length, concealed in the bush, along with his raft. Leading up to his arrest by the DAFF, we were monitoring his routine and activities. He was taken in for processing at the nearest SAPS and is expected to be charged and deported back to Mozambique. The confiscated nets and raft will be destroyed by the authorities to prevent future use,” said the resident.

According to our source, these gill nets are ‘walls of death’, indiscriminately trapping and killing various marine species, including juvenile fish, such as mullet, grunter bream, moonfish, kob, flathead, spadefish, mud crab and prawn.

“The destruction of these juvenile fish populations poses a significant threat to future fish stocks, particularly for species like kob, which are already under severe pressure from overfishing. These poachers need to be reported and arrested as they sell the fish off to occupants in the taxis and even supply Chinese marketplaces dotted around the country.”

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The gill nets are strategically positioned at a 45-degree angle to the shoreline, effectively blocking any aquatic life from passing through. “They weigh the bottom of the net down with lead strips or stones, and the top of the net is floated with old flip-flop foam or Styrofoam wrapped in black plastic, so it’s hard to see it sitting under the surface of the water,” said the resident.

A designated WhatsApp group has been instrumental in monitoring and reporting illegal activities. The resident said their and the greater Amanzimtoti residents’ continuous efforts are crucial in combating poaching and protecting the estuarine ecosystems that serve as nurseries for many ocean fish.

Amanzimtoti Police Station’s communications officer, Captain Charlene van der Spuy, said 32-year-old Edilson Bernado Zavale appeared in the Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court on May 9, before the case was remanded to May 16 for further investigation and bail application.

“He was arrested and charged with fishing without a permit (Marine Living Resources Act – permit not available for inspection purposes at location of activity) and illegal immigration. The case is being investigated by Amanzimtoti detectives,” she said.

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