Duiwenhoks Conservancy AGM 2021

Duiwenhoks Conservancy AGM 2021

We completed our first digital Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 24 March 21.

Many thanks to all who attended it and gave us feedback, especially during the committee election section. We really appreciate your interest. 

If you are interested in the recording, it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfMPCgnWwnA

Our AGM agenda included:

  1. Chairman’s Report + finances 
  2. Review of 2020 initiatives
  3. Hessequa Municipality property valuation 2021
  4. Wild fire: Vermaaklikheid fire fund & February 2021 fire
  5. Alien clearing: Uitvlug case study
  6. Duiwenhoks Estuary Report by Dr Lara van Niekerk & Dr Stephen Lamberth
  7. Election of Committee for 2021/2

We will share more soon! 

Duiwenhoks Estuary overview presentation (Lamberth)

Dr Stephen Lamberth has been sampling the Duiwenhoks Estuary for more than two decades. Stephen spoke about the state of the fish in our river, including some shocking data about the fish stock levels. There are about 50 breeding pairs of dusky kob in the southern Cape – it really is a critically endangered species. We need to protect it. 

His talk is available here: Lamberth Duiwenhoks Talk 24 March fish-compressed

Dr Stephen Lamberth is a fisheries ecologist at the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF). He has been involved in about 30 specialist studies focusing on freshwater flow requirements of river, estuarine and marine fish. He was the project leader in a comprehensive biological and socio-economic study of the South African beach-seine and gillnet fisheries.

Here’s a sample of his presentation showing the categories of our 45+ species:

 

 

 

Duiwenhoks Estuary overview presentation (van Niekerk)

We had our AGM today, with fantastic presentations from our 2 estuary experts. Dr Lara van Niekerk has shared her presentation with us – and here it is if you want to see it:

Van Niekerk Duiwenhoks Talk – 24March 2021-compressed

Dr Lara van Niekerk led the team of specialists who assessed the health and ecosystem condition of all of South Africa’s estuaries as part of the National Biodiversity Assessment 2018 and 2011.

Dr van Niekerk is a senior scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). She specialises in the physical dynamics of estuaries; estuarine condition assessments; environmental flow requirements; and estuary management and policy. Lara played a lead role in the development of the generic framework for estuary management plans. Lara is also part of a core team that develop environmental flow requirements technologies for South Africa.

Protect the Duiwenhoks river this holiday season

The Duiwenhoks Estuary and its surrounds are one of the last remaining pristine estuaries in the country and the Duiwenhoks Conservancy has been established to preserve its unique character.

Biologists have long maintained that the most important role of the estuarine environment for fish is the provision of nursery grounds for juveniles. Estuaries provide a typically calm, sheltered environment where the higher temperatures and rich food supply allow rapid growth and protection for marine fish fry.

Below are a few guidelines to show how you can help to maintain the uniqueness of the area and ensure safety. We ask you to please bear these in mind during your stay.

The Duiwenhoks is not a skiing river.

Boats need to watch out for Swimmers and Canoes.

Slow Down when passing a Jetty!!

Please drive responsibly at all times with due consideration for the peaceful nature of the river, for houses, jettys, small craft and other users of the river.

Please observe the ‘Slow Zone’ or ‘No Wake Zone’ close to the Village.

When fishing:
Please make sure you have a license to fish or collect bait in the river
Spearfishing in the tidal areas is not permitted
Please stick to the size and bag limits for fish and bait
Cast nets/throw nets for fishing may not be used from sunset to sunrise.

Boats:

Remember that when approaching an oncoming boat you must pass with the oncoming boat on your port (left) side, i.e. when traveling on the river keep right.

When overtaking another boat on the river please do so on their port side.

Please ensure, especially when passing a smaller or stationary boat on the river that your wake does not cause a danger to the other boat.

Remember – to avoid a collision a motor boat must give right of way to all other craft and a rowing boat or canoe gives way to a sailing boat.

When approaching jettys please be aware of swimmers and slow down if necessary. Many people practice long distance swimming in the river and they are difficult to spot from a fast moving boat.

Please keep at least 5 meters from the river bank when in motion in order to preserve the banks (there may also be children in the reeds!!)

When approaching the river bank please do so slowly.

No objects or people may be towed on the Duiwenhoks River (eg. no skiing or tubing).

When out at sea please remember you may not approach closer than 300 m to a whale.