A Carp Fishing Project has seen many families access food while combatting the invasive species; a new boat has been donated to the project!
Western Cape, South Africa (15 May 2024) – The picturesque setting of Island Lake in the Wilderness recently played host to a significant event on 8 May 2024. CapeNature’s Groenvlei Carp Project supported by Gift of the Givers were gifted a new fishing boat by the Oceana Group.
Thousands of people from communities in the Southern Cape and Karoo have benefitted from this extremely successful feeding scheme project.
The boat that has currently been in use is not designed for carp removal but the new boat alongside the donation of other essential equipment will help the project become more efficient and address both a food crisis and invasive species management.
The project was initiated in 2018, by Johnny Snyman, who has since become a vital partner through his non-profit organisation Invasive Fish Species Management (IFSM). Initially, the idea was to remove the invasive carp from the Groenvlei and use it for organic compost.
Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus shifted towards using the fish as a source of food. Over the past year, more than 9,700 kgs of carp have been removed from Groenvlei and since inception, the programme has fed around 320,000 people through soup kitchens and communities in need along the Southern Cape.
Gift of the Givers, in their unwavering support, has ensured that the carp harvested is of the highest quality and fit for consumption, distributing the fish to nearby communities and as far as Oudtshoorn, Calitzdorp, and Uniondale.
The initiative stands as an example of the power of collaboration and innovation in creating positive change for the environment and communities in need. The project has grown and is now being extended to water bodies managed by the South African National Parks (SANParks) as well.
by 