HOMEPAGE TYPES COLOURING BOOK POACHING Squid are a diverse group of invertebrates (animals without backbones), and range in size from barely two and a half centimetres (Idiosepius sp.) to a total length approaching 18 metres (giant squid Architeuthis sp.). The largest invertebrate in the world is the giant squid. The giant squid also has the largest eye in the animal kingdom. It is MUCH bigger than the eye of a blue whale! - about the size of a volleyball. One confiscation of 3 539 abalone with a mass of 530kg, 86% undersized. Poaching or the illegal harvesting of abalone, is the single biggest threat to the South African abalone resource. It could result in the closure of both the commercial and recreational abalone sectors. Poaching has increased dramatically and this year alone law enforcement authorities confiscated more than 265 000 illegally harvested abalone. Poachers have been responsible for decimating the abalone resource because they take out too many abalone and many of the animals they catch are undersize. This means that the animals do not have a chance to replace themselves before they are killed. Who are the Poachers? Poachers are criminals. Some of them are part of powerful and highly organised gangs. Poachers are recreational divers who catch more than their daily limit of abalone or who sell or barter their catch. Poachers are commercial abalone quota holders who catch more abalone than they are entitled to. What is the government doing about Poaching? In August 2000 a highly organised anti-Poaching campaign - called Operation Neptune II -was launched. The campaign is a joint operation between Marine and Coastal Management, the South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies. In only three months officials attached to Operation Neptune II arrested 286 Poachers and confiscated 15 432 abalone. They also seized 15 vehicles, boats and boat trailers and 440 items of diving equipment. But despite these successes, there is no indication that the rate of abalone Poaching is decreasing. Why shorten the recreational season? Abalone are slow growing animals. It takes approximately seven years before a juvenile abalone is ready to reproduce. If the animals are removed from the sea before they have had a chance to reproduce - as happens when undersized abalone are removed - the resource is damaged. Even if all Poaching stopped tomorrow, it would take a number of decades to restore the abalone resource to a healthy level. And, as if the effects of Poaching were not enough, our abalone are also facing unfavourable environmental changes. How is the environment affecting abalone stocks? An interesting feature of the abalone's life cycle is the close relationship that exists between sea urchins and juvenile abalone. Juvenile abalone, with a shell length of less than 30mm, shelter under the spines of sea urchins where they derive protection. Without the urchins, juvenile abalone will not survive. On the south coast, between Cape Hangklip and Hermanus, this relationship has been se riously affected by an unexplained influx of West Coast rock lobsters to this region. The lobsters have consumed virtually all of the sea urchins in the area, leaving the abalone exposed to predation by lobsters and other predators. This means that the reproduction of abalone in this region has been severely curtailed. The result could be catastrophic for the future of the abalone resource between Hangklip and Hermanus and it is essential that the remaining abalone are protected. Has the commercial abalone industry also been affected? The amount of abalone harvested by the commercial sector has almost halved in the past six years. This means that the commercial viability of the abalone fishery is severely threatened and people are losing their jobs. What does the future hold? The future of South Africa's abalone stocks will only be secured if ordinary South Africans work with fisheries authorities and law enforcement agencies to put an end to abalone poaching. Remember, your children will only get an opportunity to enjoy the sport of abalone diving if you act responsibly: Buy a recreational diving permit and take it with you when you go diving. Only dive for abalone during the open fishing season. Only take out your daily quota of three abalone per day. Only remove abalone with a blunt instrument; abalone have no blood clotting mechanism and even a tiny nick with a knife may cause their death. Report incidents of abalone poaching to a marine Conservation Inspector, the police or dial this toll free number: 0800-11-12-13. More information about abalone is available from: Marine and Coastal Management abalone researchers: Rob Tarr, Angus MacKenzie or Paul Williams at (021) 402 3911. Marine and Coastal Management Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Back To The Top