12 January 2018
Question from Martin Louw: What is your standpoint on carp fishing and the removal of carp?
SACRAA Response: Since the publication of the Alien & Invasive Species (AIS) Lists and Regulations in 2014, DEA has been involved in a process to map the distribution of species concerned. Depending on where species are currently found they will be placed within a certain Category, which will determine activities that are either not allowed or allowed. This mapping process is still underway so nothing has been finalised as yet, but simplify matters, essentially the following will apply:
The catch & release of carp will be allowed in discrete catchments where they already occur (e.g. dams and sections of rivers that are seprated from the rest of the river system by man-made or natural barriers such as weirs, waterfalls etc.). The exception to this will be where carp are currently found in National Parks, Provincial Reserves, Mountain Catchment Areas or Forestry Reserves and in these instances they will need to be controlled (i.e. removed/killed).
SACRAA supports this approach of allowing catch & release in discrete catchments where they already occur and the restrictions to prevent them from spreading into areas where they do not currently occur.