Ancient stonewall fish traps on the south coast of South Africa : documentation, current use, ecological effects and management implications

Ancient intertidal stonewall fish traps are found world-wide and those along the SouthAfrican south coast are the focus of my thesis. These fish traps, known locally as 'vywers', have recently enjoyed much media attention as interest increases in both South Africa's cultural heritage and its diminishing fish stocks. Two pioneering studies, by Goodwin (1946) and Avery (1975), provided the only documented knowledge of these vywers. My study aimed to locate, survey and document the main concentrations of vywers within a 300-km stretch along the south coast. A total of 43 sets of vywers was located by aerial surveys, 30 of which are only accessible through private land. This affords them some measure of protection, together with five located off reserves, but diminishes their educational and tourism value. Four sets of vywers were mapped in detail using aerial photogrammetry, a method that provided a rapid, extensive, accurate survey record in the form of geo-rectified ortho-images of these sites. The vywers are built in both exposed and sheltered environments, constructed from in situ rock material built into walls with either angular or curved shapes. These walls may occur singularly or in complexes of up to 25 traps. Vywers are prone to decimation by wave action and storm damage and so require maintenance to retain their characteristic form and associated cultural information. Tensions have, however, arisen between those who maintain and fish the vywers, and fisheries managers. Data from a questionnaire survey compared with records from the literature showed that species composition has not changed significantly in the last five decades. The fish are caught most frequently during new-moon spring-tides, especially in the winter months. The vywer fishery, currently active at only two sets of vywers, targets primarily mullet species (mostly Liza richardsonii) but infrequently enjoys 'bonanza' catches of over-exploited linefish stocks such as galjoen Dichistius capensis. It is these latter catches that concern managers, in addition to the noncompliance of fishers in terms of catch composition and size, permits and gear.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Oceanography

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Kemp, Lucy Valeska

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Branch, George M
• Attwood, Colin

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6485

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/6485