Alien Fish Removals: a New Beginning for the Rondegat River
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Freshwater Fishes
WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE state oF BIODIVERSITY 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction 2 Chapter 2 Methods 17 Chapter 3 Freshwater fishes 18 Chapter 4 Amphibians 36 Chapter 5 Reptiles 55 Chapter 6 Mammals 75 Chapter 7 Avifauna 89 Chapter 8 Flora & Vegetation 112 Chapter 9 Land and Protected Areas 139 Chapter 10 Status of River Health 159 Cover page photographs by Andrew Turner (CapeNature), Roger Bills (SAIAB) & Wicus Leeuwner. ISBN 978-0-620-39289-1 SCIENTIFIC SERVICES 2 Western Cape Province State of Biodiversity 2007 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Andrew Turner [email protected] 1 “We live at a historic moment, a time in which the world’s biological diversity is being rapidly destroyed. The present geological period has more species than any other, yet the current rate of extinction of species is greater now than at any time in the past. Ecosystems and communities are being degraded and destroyed, and species are being driven to extinction. The species that persist are losing genetic variation as the number of individuals in populations shrinks, unique populations and subspecies are destroyed, and remaining populations become increasingly isolated from one another. The cause of this loss of biological diversity at all levels is the range of human activity that alters and destroys natural habitats to suit human needs.” (Primack, 2002). CapeNature launched its State of Biodiversity Programme (SoBP) to assess and monitor the state of biodiversity in the Western Cape in 1999. This programme delivered its first report in 2002 and these reports are updated every five years. The current report (2007) reports on the changes to the state of vertebrate biodiversity and land under conservation usage. -
Indigenous Fish Fact Sheet
FACT SHEET What a landowner should know about the INDIGENOUS FISH of the Cape Floristic Region: DIVERSITY, THREATS AND MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS The majority of the freshwater The Cape Floristic Region, mainly within the Western Cape Province, fish of the Cape Floristic is one of the six plant kingdoms of the world. This area, however, is Region are listed as either not only home to a remarkable number of plant species but also has a Endangered or Critically Endangered and face a very number of unique indigenous freshwater fish species. real risk of extinction! INDIGENOUS FISH are a critical component of healthy aquatic ecosystems as they form an important part of the aquatic food web and fulfill several important ecological functions. These fish need suitable habitat and good quality water, free of sediment and agrichemicals, in order to survive. The presence of indigenous fish is one of the signs of a healthy riverine Cape kurper ecosystem, making indigenous fish good bio-indicators of healthy rivers. There are four main river systems in the Western Cape, namely the Berg, Breede, Gourits and Olifants, and each system has unique fish species which only occur in ecologically healthy parts of these rivers. A good example is Burchell’s redfin in the Breede and neighbouring river systems. Genetic research on this species indicates that there could be three distinct species in the Cape galaxias Breede system. The Olifants River system is however recognised as the hotspot for indig- enous fish diversity as this system has the highest number of unique indigenous species. Research is ongoing and further genetic diversity is being uncovered for other species such as the Cape kurper and the Cape galaxias. -
Proceedings of the 8Th Yellowfish Working Group Conference
FOSAF THE FEDERATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN FLYFISHERS PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8TH YELLOWFISH WORKING GROUP CONFERENCE LE PARADISE RESORT, BADPLAAS 13 – 15 MAY 2004 Edited by Peter Arderne PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION SPONSORED BY: sappi CONTENTS Page List of Participants 2 Press Release 4 Welcome address -Bill Mincher (presented by Peter Mills) 6 Fishing Strategies & Tactics for the Nine Yellowfish species – Turner Wilkinson 8 Keynote Address: Mpumalanga Parks Board – Andre Coetzee 10 South African Freshwater Resources: Rights, Duties & Remedies – Morne Viljoen 11 Towards the fomulation of a Waste Discharge Charge System for South Africa - 24 Pieter Viljoen Catchment Management Approach to Conservation: What does it mean? – 34 Dr Wynand Vlok Establishment of the Elands River Conservation Area (ERYCA) – Gordon O’Brien 38 The Effect of Alien Plant Species on the Riparian Zone Water Management – 43 Hannes de Lange & Tony Poulter Fish kills in the Olifants River: Any Solution? – Dr Thomas Gyedu-Ababio 45 Yellowfish Sport Fisheries: Opportunities & Responsibilities – Kobus Fourie 48 Conservancies – A tool for river conservation involving the landowner – Peter Mills 49 Proposed project: Radio Telemetry on Labeobarbus marequensis in the Crocodile River, 54 Kruger National Park – Francois Roux The yellowfish fishery on the upper Komati: A landowners perspective – John Clarke 56 River Health: Managing and Monitoring Rivers on Sappi Plantations – Douglas 60 Macfarlane Iscor Newcastle: Water Strategy – Martin Bezuidenhout 63 Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation in South Africa – Pierre de Villiers 66 Field research update: Assessing the impact of smallmouth bass on the indigenous 67 fish community of the Rondegat River, Western Cape – Darragh Woodford Threatened fishes of Swaziland – Richard Boycott 70 Yellowfishes of Zambia & Mozambique – Roger Bills 76 Identification of conservation units of two yellowfish species: Labeobarbus 78 kimberleyensis & L. -
Conservation Biology of Endangered Freshwater Fishes – Linking Conservation of Endangered Freshwater Fishes with River Conservation, Focussing on the Cederberg
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY OF ENDANGERED FRESHWATER FISHES – LINKING CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED FRESHWATER FISHES WITH RIVER CONSERVATION, FOCUSSING ON THE CEDERBERG Report to the Water Research Commission Edited by IR Bills1 and ND Impson2 1South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity 2CapeNature WRC Report No. KV 305/12 ISBN 978-1-4312-0348-2 JANUARY 2013 OBTAINABLE FROM Water Research Commission Private Bag X03 Gezina, Pretoria, 0031 South Africa [email protected] or download from www.wrc.org.za The publication of this report emanates from a WRC project entitled Conservation biology of endangered freshwater fishes – Linking conservation of endangered freshwater fishes with river conservation, focusing on the Cederberg. (WRC Project No.K8/592) DISCLAIMER This report has been reviewed by the Water Research Commission (WRC) and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the WRC, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. © WATER RESEARCH COMMISSION ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the Water Research Commission for providing the funding for this work. Cape Nature and the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity provided varied logistical support for most of the sub-projects. In particular Mrs. Sally Terry (SAIAB) helped with all aspects of coordination and curation of samples at SAIAB. Dr Olaf Weyl co-supervised Vusi Mthombeni’s MSc work and together with R. Bills provided additional funding for the catfish biology study. iii iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No 1 Introduction .………………………………………………………….…………….......1 Roger Bills and Dean Impson 2 Barnard’s rock catfish (Austroglanis barnardi).…………………….…………….5 Roger Bills 3 Clanwilliam roc catfish (Austroglanis gilli).………………………………………17 Roger Bills 4 Twee River redfin (Barbus erubescens) …………………………….……………30 Roger Bills 5 A study of the maintenance and culture requirements of Barbus erubescens, Austroglanis barnardi and A. -
Protected Areas and Endemic Freshwater Fishes of the Cape Fold Ecoregion: Missing the Boat for Fish Conservation?
fenvs-08-502042 December 4, 2020 Time: 11:34 # 1 ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 07 December 2020 doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2020.502042 Protected Areas and Endemic Freshwater Fishes of the Cape Fold Ecoregion: Missing the Boat for Fish Conservation? Martine S. Jordaan1,2,3*, Albert Chakona2,4 and Dewidine van der Colff5,6 1 CapeNature Biodiversity Capabilities Unit, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2 National Research Foundation (NRF)-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, South Africa, 3 CapeNature Biodiversity Capabilities Unit, Center of Excellence for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 4 Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa, 5 South African National Biodiversity Institute Threatened Species Program, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa, 6 Center of Excellence for Invasion Biology, South African National Biodiversity Institute Threatened Species Program, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa Freshwater systems and their associated biodiversity are among the most threatened Edited by: ecosystems globally. The greatest threats to freshwater fishes are the introduction Rebecca Elizabeth Tharme, and spread of non-native species, pollution, habitat degradation and loss, and Riverfutures Ltd., United Kingdom overexploitation. While many regions across the world contain extensive networks of Reviewed by: Stephen John Beatty, protected areas, these are largely ineffective for protecting riverine systems and their Murdoch University, Australia biodiversity. This is because they were designed with the aim of prioritising conservation Gordon O’Brien, of terrestrial biodiversity, with limited or no consideration for aquatic systems. The Cape University of Mpumalanga, South Africa Fold Ecoregion, located within the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa, *Correspondence: is home to the highest percentage of threatened freshwater fishes in the country. -
Project Summary: Thee River Rehabilitation
PROJECT SUMMARY: THEE RIVER REHABILITATION AND MANUAL ERADICATION OF SPOTTED BASS MICROPTERUS PUNCTULATUS IN THE THEE RIVER, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE. Riaan van der Walt Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor, CapeNature P.O. Box 26, Porterville 6810, South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] 1. Introduction The rivers of the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) are known for their unique and largely endemic fish fauna, which exists within very restricted ranges (Skelton 2001). Nineteen endemic fish species are associated with the CFR of which 15 are threatened with extinction, primarily due to the impacts of invasive alien sport fish species and habitat degradation (Impson et al ., 2002). The Olifants-Doorn River system, which includes the Thee River, is arguably South Africa’s most important catchment for the conservation of freshwater fishes, as eight of its 10 species are both endemic and threatened (Impson et al . 2002). Certain freshwater fish species used for recreational angling have been transported around the globe and placed in rivers, dams and lakes, frequently without environmental impact assessments or monitoring, for the sole purpose of providing ‘enjoyment’ for anglers (Cambray 2003). Spotted bass, Micropterus punctulatus was introduced into South Africa in 1939 for angling purposes (Shelton, 2001). North American freshwater bass, Micropterus spp. are regarded as the species with the highest impact on the fishes of the Cape Floral Kingdom (Skelton 2001) and numerous local studies have shown that Micropterus spp. have a negative effect on the indigenous fish population when introduced out its native range (de Moor & Bruton 1988, Shelton 2001, Woodford et al. 2005, Weyl et al. -
Rotenone Use South Africa
This article was downloaded by: [196.215.57.16] On: 18 June 2014, At: 11:16 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Fisheries Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ufsh20 Threatened Endemic Fishes in South Africa's Cape Floristic Region: A New Beginning for the Rondegat River Olaf L. F. Weyla, Brian Finlaysonb, N. Dean Impsonc, Darragh J. Woodfordd & Jarle Steinkjere a South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Private Bag 1015, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa. E-mail: b California Department of Fish and Game (retired), Camino, CA c CapeNature, Stellenbosch, South Africa d Center for Invasion Biology, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Grahamstown, South Africa e Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management, Sluppen, Trondheim, Norway Published online: 16 Jun 2014. To cite this article: Olaf L. F. Weyl, Brian Finlayson, N. Dean Impson, Darragh J. Woodford & Jarle Steinkjer (2014) Threatened Endemic Fishes in South Africa's Cape Floristic Region: A New Beginning for the Rondegat River, Fisheries, 39:6, 270-279, DOI: 10.1080/03632415.2014.914924 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03632415.2014.914924 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. -
13 Priority Rivers for Alien Fish Eradication
13 Priority Rivers for Alien Fish Eradication Riaan van der Walt Dean Impson Martine Jordaan 30 May 2013 1. Native species 1. Biedouw River • Clanwilliam sandfish E • Clanwilliam yellowfish V • Clanwilliam sawfin E • Clanwilliam redfin V • Cape galaxias DD 2. Alien species • spotted bass • smallmouth bass 3. Barrier • Funding for EIA 2013/2014 4. Other threats • Alien vegetation • Water abstraction 5. Conservation initiatives • Awareness with landowners • Sandfish BMPS • Possible alien clearing project – Wupperthal Native fish upper limit 6. Rehabilitation area Alien fish upper limit • 2 km, needs alien veg. clearing Biedouw River, Cederberg Biedouw River, Cederberg 2. Jan Dissels River 1. Native species • Clanwilliam yellowfish V • Clanwilliam sawfin E • Clanwilliam redfin V • Clanwilliam rock catfish V (spotted) • Cape galaxias V • Fiery redfin (extirpated) 2. Alien species • smallmouth bass • Bluegill sunfish • Banded tilapia 3. Barrier • Owner willing to erect and fund barrier 4. Other threats • Alien vegetation 5. Conservation initiatives • Catchment in Cederberg wilderness Alien fish upper limit 6. Rehabilitation area Native fish upper limit • 6 km near pristine wilderness 1. Native species 3. Heks River • Spotted rock catfish E • Clanwilliam rock catfish V • Clanwilliam yellowfish V • Fiery redfin E • Clanwilliam redfin V • Cape galaxias DD 2. Alien species • smallmouth bass 3. Barrier • Funding required 4. Other threats • Alien vegetation 5. Conservation initiatives • Catchment: Cederberg Wilderness 6. Rehabilitation area • 7-10 km pristine habitat Native fish upper limit Alien fish upper limit 1. Native species • Doring redfin CR 4. Breekkrans River • Clanwilliam yellowfish V • Clanwilliam sawfin E • Clanwilliam redfin V • Chubbyhead barb DD • Cape galaxias DD 2. Alien species • spotted bass • smallmouth bass 3. -
Chapter 2: Habitat and Population Selection
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. WHAT IS A YELLOWFISH Cuvier and Cloquet (1816) has long held the huge genus Barbus to be a major problem for ichthyologists. Until recently yellowfish formed part of the Barbus group, which is one of the largest fish genera in the world. About 50 species in South Africa were classified under this genus, which included minnows/barbs and yellowfishes. This made it the largest genus in South Africa. Above- mentioned groups forms part of the family Cyprinidae with the following characteristics: Cyprinids are primary fresh water fishes, with a wide range of sizes, shapes, life history styles and habitat preferences. They lack teeth on the jaws, but have strong pharyngeal bones with teeth. They also lack a true stomach, especially in the detritus and plant feeders where the gut is extended and convoluted. Normally cyprinids are strong swimmers and some are distinctly modified to live in strong currents. The males may differ from females in having longer fins, brighter breeding colours, and in some instances tubercles on the head, body and fins. Cyprinids is an extremely large family with about 275 genera and more than 1600 species originating from Africa, Europe, Asia and North America (Skelton, 2001). A determined effort to resolve this taxonomic deadlock has been made in recent years following the development of modern genetic analytical methods and breakthroughs in understanding relationships in karyological data (Mulder,1989; Skelton, 1993, 2002 & 2003). Oellermann and Skelton (1989) revealed that unlike minnows the southern African yellowfishes have a hexaploid karyotype of around 150 chromosomes. Furthermore, these yellowfishes grow to a large size and live for may years, and have scales with longitudinal or parallel striae and the primary dorsal ray is usually spinous. -
Occupancy Dynamics of Rare Cyprinids After Invasive Fish Eradication
Received: 22 July 2019 Revised: 14 January 2020 Accepted: 10 April 2020 DOI: 10.1002/aqc.3364 RESEARCH ARTICLE Occupancy dynamics of rare cyprinids after invasive fish eradication Rowshyra A. Castañeda1,2,3 | Nicholas E. Mandrak1,2,3 | Stuart Barrow4,5 | Olaf L. F. Weyl3,5 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Abstract Canada 1. The eradication of invasive species is a management strategy implemented to 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University eliminate adverse impacts of invaders on native species communities. After eradi- of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada 3DSI/NRF Research Chair in Inland Fisheries cations, follow-up studies are done to confirm eradication of the invasive species and Freshwater Ecology, South African and the short-term recovery of the native species, but long-term monitoring to Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, South Africa confirm full population recovery and stability is often not completed. 4Centre for Invasion Biology & Department of 2. In this study, long-term monitoring of native fishes was carried out over 5 years Conservation Ecology and Entomology, after the eradication of an invasive fish from the Rondegat River, South Africa. Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa Forty-six sites distributed along four river sections were sampled for pre- 5Center for Invasion Biology, South African sence/absence using underwater cameras and snorkel surveys. Density data were Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, collected by snorkel surveys. South Africa 3. Using multi-season occupancy models, the annual probability of colonization and Correspondence local extinction of the native fishes and annual rate of change in occupancy along Rowshyra A. -
Table 7 Last Updated: 05 December 2017
IUCN Red List version 2017-3: Table 7 Last Updated: 05 December 2017 Table 7: Species changing IUCN Red List Status (2016-2017) Published listings of a species' status may change for a variety of reasons (genuine improvement or deterioration in status; new information being available that was not known at the time of the previous assessment; taxonomic changes; corrections to mistakes made in previous assessments, etc. To help Red List users interpret the changes between the Red List updates, a summary of species that have changed category between 2016 (IUCN Red List version 2016.3) and 2017 (IUCN Red List version 2017-3) and the reasons for these changes is provided in the table below. IUCN Red List Categories: EX - Extinct, EW - Extinct in the Wild, CR - Critically Endangered, EN - Endangered, VU - Vulnerable, LR/cd - Lower Risk/conservation dependent, NT - Near Threatened (includes LR/nt - Lower Risk/near threatened), DD - Data Deficient, LC - Least Concern (includes LR/lc - Lower Risk, least concern). Reasons for change: G - Genuine status change (genuine improvement or deterioration in the species' status); N - Non-genuine status change (i.e., status changes due to new information, improved knowledge of the criteria, incorrect data used previously, taxonomic revision, etc.); E - Previous listing was an Error. IUCN Red List IUCN Red Reason for Red List Scientific name Common name (2016) List (2017) change version Category Category MAMMALS Allactaga tetradactyla Four-toed Jerboa VU DD N 2017-2 Antilope cervicapra Blackbuck NT LC N 2017-2 -
Western Cape Nature Conservation Laws Amendment Act, 2000
PROVINCE OF WESTERN CAPE WESTERN CAPE NATURE CONSERVATION LAWS AMENDMENT ACT, 2000 PROVINSIE WES-KAAP WES-KAAPSE WYSIGINGSWET OP NATUURBEWARINGSWETTE, 2000 No 3, 2000 GENERAL EXPLANATORY NOTE: [ ] Words in bold type in square brackets indicate omissions from existing enactments. Words underlined with a solid line indicate insertions in existing enactments. AMENDMENT ACT To provide for the amendment of various laws on nature conservation in order to transfer the administration of the provisions of those laws to the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board; to amend the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board Act, 1998 to provide for a new definition of Department and the deletion of a definition; to provide for an increase in the number of members of the Board; to provide for additional powers of the Board; to amend the provisions regarding the appointment and secondment of persons to the Board; and to provide for matters incidental thereto. E IT ENACTED by the Provincial Parliament of the Province of Western Cape, as B follows:— Amendment of Ordinance 19 of 1974 1. The Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance, 1974 (Ordinance 19 of 1974), is hereby amended as indicated on a copy of the existing text thereof as set out in 5 Schedule 1. Amendment of certain laws 2. The laws referred to in the first column of Schedules 2, 3 and 4 are amended to the extent indicated in the second column of those Schedules. Amendment of section 1 of Act 15 of 1998 10 3. Section 1(1) of the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board Act, 1998 (‘‘the principal Act’’), is hereby amended— (a) by the substitution in paragraph (vi) of the following definition for the definition of ‘‘Department’’: ‘‘Department’’ means the Department of Environmental and Cultural 15 Affairs and Sport referred to in Column 1 of Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act, 1994;’’, and (b) by the deletion in paragraph (xiv) of the definition of ‘‘provincial administration’’.