Exploitation of South African Fisheries

Abstract

THE Union of South Africa has consistently endeavoured to pursue a far-sighted policy in reference to the exploitation of its seas. A survey with the S.S. Pieter Faure was made twenty years ago and resulted in the starting of a trawler industry, while a series of volumes were published dealing with the fauna of the grounds. In 1920 the Union hired a whaler, the Pickle, 102 feet long, 20 feet beam, and ill feet draught, equipped the vessel with trawls, warps, and sounding gear, and sent it to explore the fishing area, Dr. Gilchrist being the scientific adviser. The ship was commissioned for 20 months. It was singularly unsuited in many respects for trawling in commercial fashion, being of too shallow draught and not of the right build, only hauling an otter trawl of 40 feet head rope, whereas a trawler of its size could employ one of 120 feet with resulting catch at least six times as great. Notwithstanding these drawbacks excellent work was done, 543 stations having been investigated, generally by 1-hour trawls, distance traversed 4 miles. While the hauls are thus closely comparable, they are difficult to collate with commercial fishing. They deal entirely with unexplored grounds; we should have liked a few on the known grounds, already frequented by steam trawlers, for comparison.