Fish Smart, Snag Less

Welcome anglers! We’re the marine conservationists behind the Too Rare to Catch and Clean Ocean Divers campaigns. We believe fishing can be part of the solution: fun, sustainable, and respectful of the sea. This local fishing guide was created for recreational fishers, especially visitors, who want the full fishing experience without leaving a harmful trace.

Here you’ll find:

• Local rules & permits you should know
• How to fish with less snag, less lost gear, fewer risks
• How to handle species ethically
• The best spots around Mossel Bay with lower snagging risk
• How Clean Ocean Divers works — and how you can help

1. Who We Are & Why Lost Gear Matters

We’re Earth Legacy Foundation, working with Keep Fin Alive, Go Dive Mossel Bay, and the diving community. One of our focuses: recovering fishing line, hooks, sinkers, and other lost gear (what we call ghost gear) fro reefs and from the seabed, because even small bits cause big damage.

Every year, lost tackle leads to:

• Trapped or injured marine life as animals get caught in lines or hooks
• Corals and reef structures damaged by snagged gear
• Safety risks for future fishers diving or fishing in the area
• A drop in enjoyment and fishery health

We are sharing better habits that will reduce losses and keep our waters beautiful and productive.

2. Permits, Rules & Regulations

2.1 Permit Basics

• In South Africa, all recreational marine fishers must hold a recreational fishing permit to fish from shoreline or from a vessel.
• In Mossel Bay, monthly and annual permits are available online via the DFFE e-permit platform.
• Make sure you carry proof of permit when fishing.

2.2 Gear, Bag & Size Limits

• You may use rod, reel, line only (max 10 hooks). Nets, traps or large cast nets are restricted.
• You may fish from a vessel, provided it has the necessary permit.
• There are bag limits and minimum size limits (species-specific).
• In any case, you cannot sell or trade fish caught under the recreational permit.

2.3 Closed Seasons, Prohibited Species & Protected Zones

• Certain species have closed seasons during which they cannot be caught.
• Some species are prohibited or “no-take” — especially endangered or critically endangered ones. If you catch them, you must release them immediately with minimal harm.
• Local protections: you may not damage, collect, uproot or land coral, live sea fans, or protected invertebrates along the shore.
• Some marine protected areas or restricted zones (for example, portions of marine reserves) may have additional rules or full no-fishing zones. Always check local maps or signage before casting off.

2.4 Legal Notes & Enforcement

• Even if a fish is listed in brochures as “prohibited,” unless formally gazetted, enforcement may vary—but best practice is: don’t risk it. (This is central to the “Too Rare to Catch” campaign.)
• Violation of rules may lead to fines or criminal proceedings.
• Fisheries control officers (FCOs) may be patrolling.

3. Snagging, Lost Tackle & How to Avoid It

This is central to what we do and why we created this Local Fishing Guide. Snagging doesn’t just frustrate your cast, it damages reefs and kills marine creatures long after you leave.

3.1 Why Gear Gets Lost

• Strong currents pushing lines into reef or rocky structure.
• Heavy weights or sinkers anchoring your gear in place.
• Steep drop-offs and submerged structures that are hard to see.
• Hooks and sharp components getting caught during retrieval.

3.2 How to Reduce Snags and Gear Loss

• Use lighter sinkers / weights as far as possible; avoid over-weighting.
• Choose lines / leaders that are abrasion-resistant but not overly rigid.
• Use circle hooks or single hooks rather than treble hooks where possible.
• Map your drop: know the underwater structure ahead of time (if charts or local advice are available).

3.3 If You Do Lose Gear

• Mark or remember the spot.
• If safe, retrieve what you can.
• Report it to Earth Legacy so we can remove serious snag zones.
• Dispose of gear properly ashore — don’t leave it hanging on structures or floating.

4. Clean Ocean Divers: How You Can Help

What we do:
Through Clean Ocean Divers, we lead transects (often 100m reef stretches) to recover lost fishing line, sinkers, hooks, and plastic. The work is in partnership with a local dive school.

So far, we’ve removed:

• Over 10 km of fishing line from reefs
• More than 1,000 sinkers
• Over 350 hooks

How you can help:

• Join a Clean Ocean Divers workshop.
• Be mindful of gear loss — reduce risk up front.
• Volunteer to report snag zones / hotspots.
• Spread the word among your fishing companions.

5. Best Local Fishing Spots with Lower Snag Risk

This local fishing guide Google Map shows spots around Mossel Bay that tend to have fewer underwater snags, based on recent clean-ups & angler feedback. Still, scout locally and use care.

6. Handling Species & Ethical Fishing

Be kind, quick and deliberate — your choices at the point of capture make the biggest difference.

• Avoid retaining threatened species. If a species is listed as vulnerable/endangered, do not keep it; release it quickly and carefully.
• Use fish-friendly tackle. Prefer circle hooks or single barbless hooks (flatten barbs if needed) — they reduce deep hooking and improve survival for released fish. Don’t use unnecessary trebles when fishing inshore.
• If a hook is swallowed, cut the line. Removing a deeply swallowed hook often causes higher mortality than cutting the line as close to the hook as possible and releasing. Keep side-cutters in your kit.
• Minimise handling time and trauma. Keep the fish wet, support its belly (never squeeze gills), use long-nose pliers for quick hook removal and revive exhausted fish by holding them facing into slow water flow until they can swim away.
• If you must keep fish, use humane dispatch. The most humane method is to stun (a firm blow to the head) before bleeding. Gut and chill retained fish promptly to reduce waste and spoilage.
• Gear choices to reduce loss & harm. Avoid heavy, easily snagged rigs or excessive sinker mass near reefs; prefer rigs and weights that are less likely to bury or snag on structure (and therefore less likely to be left as ghost gear).

7. Local Resources & Contacts

• Clean Ocean Divers — Community programme that trains divers to remove ghost gear and runs reef clean-ups. Great first contact to report big snag zones or join a cleanup.
• Go Dive Mossel Bay (dive centre / Clean Ocean Diver partner) — NAUI dive centre that runs the Clean Ocean Divers workshop and local recovery dives. Contact: 7 Church St, Mossel Bay; scuba@godive.co.za; +27 (79) 197-6835.
• Keep Fin Alive (local awareness & education) — Community campaign partnered with Earth Legacy on outreach and species protection work. Useful for education events and community sign-ups.
• Recreational Fishing Permits — Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) — Recreational permits are required; they also provide regulations, size/bag limits, and MPA information. Always check local access rules before fishing.
• Report strandings or large entanglements — Local rescue / stranding numbers and cetacean disentanglement contacts can help with animals found trapped or seriously entangled; keep these numbers handy in case you encounter an incident.
• Local authority / municipality — For questions about beach access, driving on beaches or local bylaws, contact Mossel Bay Municipality (they also support local outreach and events).
• Local Deep Sea Fishing Charters – Recreational deep sea fishing generally has much lower snagging rates than shore or reef fishing because most offshore waters lack the rocky structure that causes gear loss. Our preferred local partner for fishing charters is Salt Life Charters.

We love that you’re here, fishing, exploring, enjoying Mossel Bay. With just a few small shifts, you can help protect what makes this place special.

What you can do now:

• Fish with lighter, more mindful gear; avoid snagging.
• Report snag zones—help us know where to clean up.
• Join a Clean Ocean Divers event.
• Support policies / campaigns like “Too Rare to Catch” that align with protecting vulnerable species.

Thanks for being part of keeping Mossel Bay clean, catch-rich, and full of life.