A SWIFT multi-agency operation led to the arrest of two suspects caught using gill nets in the Amanzimtoti River on November 7.

Also read: Gill netting combated at Illovo River

The Coastal Marine Task Force (CMTF) received a tip-off about suspected illegal fishing activity and immediately mobilised a joint response team that included members of the CCPO, ET Security, metro police, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).

Upon arrival at the scene, the co-ordinated team apprehended two suspects believed to be involved in the illegal activity. During the operation, officers confiscated three gill nets, each approximately 40m long with a mesh size of 4×3cm, and rescued a live tilapia, which was safely released back into the river.

The suspects were detained by metro police and transported to the Amanzimtoti police station for processing. DFFE officials arrived and formally charged the individuals under relevant fisheries and marine resource protection laws.

According to authorities, illegal gillnetting poses a significant threat to local aquatic ecosystems, as it indiscriminately traps fish and other river species.

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