Monday, March 12, 2012

Carp kill sinks fishing at pans, South Africa

HUNDREDS of big carp have died in one of the major pans at Strandfontein wastewater treatment works adjoining Zeekoevlei, temporarily ruining one of the Peninsula’s premier freshwater fishing spots.

The pans are also a major birding area, and when the incident occurred last weekend anglers and birders were ordered to leave by security staff.

This prompted speculation there had been a sewage or chemical spill into the pan, but the City of Cape Town said the fish die-off was caused by natural oxygen depletion.

“Flippen heartsore!” commented one angler on the online forum of Sealine (SA African Angling and Boating Community) that was headed “J-Dam terrible news”.

Another posted: “Hundreds of dying fish! All from 2-15kg. A couple of guys tried to ‘help’ the fish back into the water, but they just beached themselves again. There were also two guys picking up bucket loads of the fish and driving off with them. One of the most tragic things I have ever seen!”

Ossie Asmal, director of environmental resource management at the city council, confirmed that about 500 carp, “all of a larger size”, had died in the pan, but said it had not been caused by any toxic or sewage spill. Read More

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