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Boaters hamper dam remediation

Work on the Harties, metsi a me (my water) programme?s fishing project is continuously being hampered by the boating public who disregard the floating buoys and cause damage to the fishing lines and nets. This happens despite the fact that the fishing demarcation area is clearly marked with floating orange buoys and notices on the dam.
The fishing project is an important component of the programme and has as its objective to restore the trophic balance in the dam by reducing the dominant fish species over a three year period. This incorporates the restructuring of the coarse fish population by large-scale catch and removal operations. These include catfish, the common carp and the canary kurper. This will shift the fish community structure to again favour the Mozambique tilapia, also known as the blue kurper and yellow fish.
For the safe use of the dam certain areas have been demarcated as ?limited restriction of access? and others as ?no go? areas indicated by means of advisory buoys and floating booms. No vessels or craft, except those working on the programme, are allowed in these areas.
In an attempt to inform the public over 10 000 pamphlets were distributed over the week-end to estate and marina club managers for dissemination to their property owners and visitors. The pamphlet provides information of the safety measures that should be adhered to, a map of the dam that clearly illustrates the areas that should be avoided as well as marker buoys and their respective meanings. The public is urged to take note of these measures and to assist the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) with its remediation efforts on the dam.
Other projects within the Harties, metsi a me programme which are making progress include the biomass removal (algae and hyacinth), floating wetlands and the shoreline rehabilitation. Approximately 60 cubic meters of algae was pumped during the month of September with hyacinth removal figures amounting to 150 cubic meters at the dam wall and another 750 cubic meters around the dam for the same period. This is being used to produce high quality organic compost using vermiculture (earthworms). Approximately 2 tons of debris was also removed.
To date experiments have been conducted with different types of floating wetland structures while attempts have been made to get indigenous plants to establish themselves in these islands. With regards to the shoreline rehabilitation the areas for the vegetation have been selected, studies have been conducted to identify the plant types which will be suitable and acceptable for shoreline rehabilitation and planting will commence soon.
For further information on the programme please visit the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry?s website at www.dwaf.gov.za/harties.

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16 October 2008