Stilbaai's Tidal Fish Traps
By Reon Meij
Ancient intertidal stonewall fish traps (Afrikaans: visvywers) occur in various spots on the Western Cape coast from Gansbaai to Mosselbaai. Only a handful occur on the east coast. There are several concentrations of fish traps on the Hessequa coast between Gouritsmond, 30 km east of Stilbaai and Witsand, 35 km to the southwest.
These fish traps are constructed in such a way that they form pools of varying size in the intertidal zone. They operate on the principle that at high tide during new-moon (ie dark-moon) spring tides, fish swim over the walls to feed. As the water recedes with the turn of the tide, the fish get trapped in the enclosure. It is then an easy matter to remove the fish from the almost dry trap.
Prehistoric Roots
Stilbaai's fish traps are still-working relics from the past, both the recent and very distant past. Most of the existing fish traps that we can still see, have been built during the past 300 years, some as recently as the latter part of the 20th century, whilst others, according to Avery, could date as far back as 3 000 years ago, but he stresses that this does not preclude a possibly of an even more ancient origin 1.
The evolution of fishing stretches back much further than 3 000 years ago. From an analysis of the Middle Stone Age layers at Blombos Cave, Klasiesrivier, Die Kelders, Herolds Bay, Sea Harvest and Hoedjies Punt, it appears that sea food, including fish, has been part of the human diet for a very long time - at least 100 000 years ago. One of the easiest ways of harvesting fish, would have been gathering those stranded in natural tidal pools after the turn of the tide. Enhancing the fish-trapping properties of tidal pools by a few well-placed stones would be a logical next step, followed eventually by man-made pools. Thus, while it is unknown exactly when the tradition of building and repacking tidal fish traps originated, it is most likely that it dates back to the Middle Stone Age (which stretched from about 250000 to 25 000 years ago).
More recent history
Eyewitness accounts by some of the first European settlers report how Khoi built, maintained and used tidal fish traps. The doyen of Stilbaai archaeology, CHTD Heese (1874-1948), mentions in a letter:
"Dat die vywers in Stilbaai oud is, word geboekstaaf deur die eerste Duinevoortekker na Stilbaai, wat dit aan sy kinders vertel het dat hy die vywers daar gekry het, t.w. in 1810-20. In die dae het daar ook nog wilde Boesmans by Windvoëlspunt (wat later deur Engelse seevaarders verdoop is met "Morris Point') gehou het en al langs die kus oor na Jongensgat "Caves", Swart-, Groot-, Kleinjongensfontein na Duiwenhoks Rivier toe. Of hulle aan die Hessequa of aan die Attaqua stam behoort het, kan slegs deur die taalgeleerdes vasgestel word, wanneer ons daartoe oorgegaan het om die ou plaasname soos Wankou, Kragga ens. te versamel en vir ons nageslagte op te bewaar - ipv om hulle le verdoop."2 That the fish traps are old, is affirmed in writing by the first Dune Voortrekker to Stilbaai, who told his children that he had found the fish traps already there in 1810-20. In those days there still were wild Bushmen living at Windvoëlspunt (later dubbed "Morris Point" by EngIsh mariners) and aH along the coast at Jongensgat "Caves: Swart-, Gtoot-, Kleinjongensfontein to the Duiwenhoks River. Whether they had belonged to the Hessequa or Attaqua tribe, can only be determined by linguists, when we start collecting old farm names Hke Wankou, Kragga etc and preserving them for our offspring - rather than 'rechristening'them.
1 Avery, Graham (1975),p 113
2Heese,CTDH. Excerpt from letter kept in the Blombos Archaelogical Museum, Stilbaai.
Situation Today
Since the advent of colonists, the Stilbaai fish traps have gradually "changed hands" and since the nineteenth century have been utilised nearly exclusively by local trappers, fishermen and farmers as well as some families from Riversdale and adjacent towns who have regularly visited Stilbaai during holiday seasons. These people have through the years regularly maintained, rebuilt and utilised the fish traps and from time to time added new traps. Thanks to their efforts the Rooisandduine fish traps seen on page 1 are still in prime condition. A handful of enthusiasts, of whom Roodt Cronje is the most prominent member, are stalwartly still busy with the upkeep and utilisation of these traps today. In fact, most of the traps now visible at Rooisandduine have either been newly built or are old traps that have been rebuilt and/or altered during the past fifty years. Where they are nolonger doing so, as with the traps in the harbour area, the traps are in a steady state of decline. Through the years a folklore of its own has come into being amongst the above tenders and users of the fish traps. One interesting fact is that the individual traps have been given folkish names (see map below).
Construction
The tidal
fish traps consist of low walls of boulders and pebbles constructed across
gullies or other suitable localities within the intertidal zone. Where no
gullies or big rocks are present, complete artificial enclosures may be built.
A trap site usually consists of a series of traps ranging in size from about
10m2 to as big as half a football field. Fish trap walls are
sturdily built Traps are only efficient if the stones are packed in a certain
way. The wall must form a virtually solid wall with a horizontal top, built to
a level which would be covered by at least 0,5-1 ,0 m of water as the waves
come in at spring high tide. The landward face tends to be vertical while the
seaward face usually is sloped. This provides less resistance and turbulence to
incoming waves and therefore more subtle access to fish. As a certain amount of
displacement occurs through wave action, repacking of the walls is necessary
after each spring tide. Today this is done by some local farmers and interested
people who also use the traps to catch fish at spring tide.
Sea Life in the fish Traps
Recently a
study by Lucy Kemp has shown that the invertebrate life in the fish traps are
enhanced by these constructions. "I found that the vywer walls host a
significantly different assemblage when compared to adjacent natural control
sites, in addition to the effects of shore-height and wave exposure. This
difference appears in terms of biomass, number of species and overall
diversity, al of which were greater in vywer walls than in control sites. When
compared with solid natural rock and artificial surfaces such as walls of tidal
pools, vywers exhibited higher physical heterogenity, which was inveresly
related to stability. With man-made developments in the intertidal zone on the
rise, vywers offer a greater understanding of how their impacts can be
ameliorated to diminish loss of biodiversity" (Kemp, Abstract preceding
the text of her dissertation.)
Reference
1. Avery, Graham (1975). "Discussion on the age and use of tidal fish-traps (visvywers)." South African Archaeological Bulletin, Volume 30: pages 105-113.
2. Kemp, Lucy Valeska (2007). Ancient stonewall fish traps on the south coast of South Africa: Documentation, current use, ecological effects and management implications. M Thesis, University of Cape Town.
