My name is Paul Van Nimwegen. I am a third year Fisheries Resource Management student at CPUT. I met Meaghen McCord from the South African Shark Conservancy (SASC) at a presentation on sharks (elasmobranchs), explaining the importance and vulnerability of these majestic creatures. SASC is a non-profit organisation, aimed at public education, research and promoting the sustainable use of sharks.
As a keen angler and biologist, I jumped at the opportunity to join the SASC research team on their January 2010 Zambezi shark expedition to the Breede River. I called Meag to find out more about the expedition & a week later I was standing on the banks of the Breede River.
Our first day was spent collecting prawns and catching grunter, which was used as live bait for catching the Zambi’s. I was slightly sceptical at first and wondered how long it would take to hook our first shark. Will 15 days be enough? Will we catch one?
Within two hours we had hooked up and 3.5 hours later, we landed a 2.9m male Zambezi. The shark was tagged, measured and biological samples were taken. Acoustic tags are used as this indicates their position and movements in the estuary. The tags also detect water temperature and depth at the sharks’ exact location. Two days later we landed another male Zambezi of 2.97m. This shark was also tagged and measured and relevant biological samples were taken.
Tracking of the sharks then commenced. The sharks are being tracked 12 hours per day, and information on location, temperature and depth is recorded. This can be tiresome and frustrating at time, but very rewarding nonetheless. We are hoping to capture one last shark before the end of the expedition, and deploy our third and final tag. Although we have managed to hook two other sharks in the last few weeks, we were unable to land them. The good news is there are at least a few other Zambezi’s in the system!
Yesterday (Monday, February 1st), we witnessed a Zambezi actually taking a large kob on the surface of the water near the Breede River Lodge. The kob was lacerated and bitten off towards the tail. The remaining carcass of the kob weighed 19kg and was therefore estimated to have a whole weight of 25kg! This was an amazing event to witness!
We have truly had the most amazing journey thus far, exceeding all of our expectations. Through our research here we hope to explain the occurrence of these sharks in this estuary and monitor their behaviour and movements over the long term.
As for the time being, it is important for us to protect these mighty creatures that call the Breede River home.
Stywe lyne, Paul
As a keen angler and biologist, I jumped at the opportunity to join the SASC research team on their January 2010 Zambezi shark expedition to the Breede River. I called Meag to find out more about the expedition & a week later I was standing on the banks of the Breede River.
Our first day was spent collecting prawns and catching grunter, which was used as live bait for catching the Zambi’s. I was slightly sceptical at first and wondered how long it would take to hook our first shark. Will 15 days be enough? Will we catch one?
Within two hours we had hooked up and 3.5 hours later, we landed a 2.9m male Zambezi. The shark was tagged, measured and biological samples were taken. Acoustic tags are used as this indicates their position and movements in the estuary. The tags also detect water temperature and depth at the sharks’ exact location. Two days later we landed another male Zambezi of 2.97m. This shark was also tagged and measured and relevant biological samples were taken.
Tracking of the sharks then commenced. The sharks are being tracked 12 hours per day, and information on location, temperature and depth is recorded. This can be tiresome and frustrating at time, but very rewarding nonetheless. We are hoping to capture one last shark before the end of the expedition, and deploy our third and final tag. Although we have managed to hook two other sharks in the last few weeks, we were unable to land them. The good news is there are at least a few other Zambezi’s in the system!
Yesterday (Monday, February 1st), we witnessed a Zambezi actually taking a large kob on the surface of the water near the Breede River Lodge. The kob was lacerated and bitten off towards the tail. The remaining carcass of the kob weighed 19kg and was therefore estimated to have a whole weight of 25kg! This was an amazing event to witness!
We have truly had the most amazing journey thus far, exceeding all of our expectations. Through our research here we hope to explain the occurrence of these sharks in this estuary and monitor their behaviour and movements over the long term.
As for the time being, it is important for us to protect these mighty creatures that call the Breede River home.
Stywe lyne, Paul
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