HERITAGE LETTER
Home Page
Heritage Letters

D.C.

Hout Bay Chronicle July 2000

Should the new Cape Peninsula National Park have a marine as well as a terrestrial component? This was the topic for discussion at one of three public meetings held at the Hout Bay High School on Tues 4th July. The meeting was addressed by Dr Barry Clark, of UCT's Zoology Department, who is leading the technical investigation into the idea on behalf of the National Park.

Clark explained that more than 40 % of all in-shore fish species occurring in SA are found around the Peninsula, however, most populations are at the point of collapse due to over exploitation, pollution and other man made impacts.

The possibility of re-defining or extending reserves was mooted with mixed reaction and Mrs Chantal Meter, representing Hout Bay's fishing community, vigorously opposed the idea that the Park should attempt to police any reserves which she said should be left to the "Industry" to protect, as previous attempts by Sea Fisheries to enforce the law had not achieved the desired result.

Hout Bay's river estuary and lagoon is suspected to be a "fish nursery" which has historically been degraded by the breaching of the beach sand bar artificially from time to time. Hopefully this practice has now ceased following repeated requests to the Municipality by the Hout Bay River Forum. It is very likely that fish stocks in the bay have been unwittingly seriously depleted as a result of such action. These facts underscore the need to conserve our rivers and the Hout Bay River in particular as one complete ecosystem from its source on Table Mountain to the sea. Any one who would like to comment or get further details on the investigation should contact:- bclark@botzoo.uct.ac.za

Dave Cowley