PICS: Saambr removes two kingfish from the Point Waterfront Canal, releases them into the ocean

The South African Association for Marine Biological Research removed two giant trevally (kingfish) from the Point Waterfront Canal and released them into the ocean at Vetch’s Pier. Picture: South African Association for Marine Biological Research

The South African Association for Marine Biological Research removed two giant trevally (kingfish) from the Point Waterfront Canal and released them into the ocean at Vetch’s Pier. Picture: South African Association for Marine Biological Research

Published Jul 6, 2022

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Durban — The South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) has removed two giant trevally (kingfish) from the Point Waterfront Canal and released them into the ocean at Vetch’s Pier. When.

The association’s Ann Kunz said that in 2018, four kingfish were introduced into the Point Waterfront Canal with the intention of helping to control the large numbers of small fish in the canal.

The South African Association for Marine Biological Research removed two giant trevally (kingfish) from the Point Waterfront Canal and released them into the ocean at Vetch’s Pier. Picture: South African Association for Marine Biological Research

They had done really well in the canal over the past four years and had more than doubled their size. Based on their large size, the decision was made to catch, tag and remove them from the canal, Kunz said.

The South African Association for Marine Biological Research removed two giant trevally (kingfish) from the Point Waterfront Canal and released them into the ocean at Vetch’s Pier. Picture: South African Association for Marine Biological Research

“In a carefully planned operation, the aquarists used a ‘drag’ net to encircle the kingfish in the shallow section of the canal near the pedal boats. Once they were netted, they were carried on a stretcher to the waiting transport tank on a trailer,” Kunz said.

“We only managed to catch two of the four. They were tagged with a yellow ORI spaghetti tag, weighed and measured before they were released.”

The South African Association for Marine Biological Research removed two giant trevally (kingfish) from the Point Waterfront Canal and released them into the ocean at Vetch’s Pier. They were tagged with a yellow ORI spaghetti tag. Picture: South African Association for Marine Biological Research

Kunz said that information on both the fish would be entered on the ORI tagging database.

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