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These vessels are all from the West Coast where pilchard stocks have been depleted. Not only are they catching thousands of tons of fish in our waters, but there are no benefits to our suffering fishing communities along the Overstrand coast.

If they stayed with the pilchards it would be bad enough, but due to their shallow water netting, they are also catching other species of prime angling and commercial importance.

Before the arrival of these vessels, there was an upswing in fish activities and line fishermen could breathe a sigh of relief, as the bay showed signs of returning to the fishing we used to know. Speak to any fisherman and he will tell you of the damage that these vessels are doing, with total disrespect to all in this area.

Previously there was a closed season for pilchards, during which the fish spawned. That no longer exists. The greed for money is pushing the pilchard resource to dangerously low levels, threatening most life in the sea.

Ask yourself why it is that both shore-angling and offshore line-fishing east and west of us is far better than here? Past Danger Point are many shallow water reefs inshore where netting cannot be done. West of us is the False Bay reserve area. We ask why the area from Hangklip to Danger Point can not be declared a reserve, to tie in with False Bay?

In 2000, Valli Moosa (then minister of environmental affairs and tourism) declared an area of Walker Bay a whale sanctuary between 1 July and 1 December. This excluded fishermen who are dependent on the bay, especially during winter months.

Any fisherman will tell you that the demarcated area is too small and insignificant to be of any use.

If the honourable minister had consulted with us, we would more than likely have proposed a bigger area which would have been a win-win situation for Hermanus as a whole, and for the whales, instead of alienating line-fishermen, turning us against the reserve.

As a bona-fide fisherman, I was reluctant to take this matter up with the authorities, for fear of repercussions. I might be a fisherman, but I am also concerned about the environment.

This matter has to be brought to the attention of minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, but we require signatures from those who are willing to back this concern. We will soon inform readers where petition lists can be found.

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