South African Recreation Catch Size & Bag Limits |How Many Fish Can You Catch And Keep Per Day?
The question of how many fish can I keep a day is often asked but
seldom ever known... It is vitally important that all saltwater anglers
and fishermen become familiar with this table. The
Saltwater fish
species of South Africa are under huge fishing pressure and many
anglers ignore the catch and size limits... This has a big impact on
fish stocks and populations. Please also remember that there are
closed seasons for certain fish species and that the legal size and bag
limit varies from area to area (Please see bottom of table)... Catch and
release methods should be practiced as much as possible... It is so
rewarding to see that 'fish of a lifetime' swim free after a long fight!
The information below was obtained from
South
African Game Reserves Fishing! On this page you
will find other rules and regulations such as closed seasons for
fishing, cast net rules, shellfish and bait collection and limits.
The bag limit refers to how many South African saltwater fish you are allowed to keep in a day... CM - Centimeters... KG - Kilograms... None - You may take as many fish from the ocean as you would like to... Just remember you are not allowed to keep more than 10 fish per day, per angler and please limit your kill, don't kill your limit! Please not you are not allowed to catch or target the following species of fish in South Africa: Great White Shark, Brindle Bass, potato Bass, Seventy Four, Natal Wrasse...
Fish Species Name |
Scientific Name |
Minimum Size |
Bag Limit |
| Anchovies | Engraulidae | 0 CM | None |
| Baardman (bellman, tasselfish) | Umbrina | 40 CM | 5 |
| Banded Galjoen | Dichistius multifasciatus | 0 CM | 5 |
| Billfishes (Marlin, Sailfish) | Istiophoridae | 0 CM | None |
| Blacktail (Dassie) | Diplodus sargus capensis | 20 CM | 5 |
| Blue Hottentot | Pachymetopon aeneum | 0 CM | 5 |
| Bronze Bream (Bluefish) | Pachymetopon grande | 30 CM | 2 |
| Cape Knifejaw | Oplegnathus conwayi | 0 CM | 5 |
| Cape Stumpnose | Rhabdosargus holubi | 20 CM | 5 |
| Carpenter (Silverfish) | Argyrozona argyrozona | 35 CM | 4 |
| Catface Rockcod (Spotted Rockcod) | Epinephelus andersoni | 50 CM | 5 |
| Chub Mackerel | Scomber japonicus | 0 CM | None |
| Cutlassfish (Walla Walla) | Trichiurus lepturus | 0 CM | None |
| Dageraad | Chrysoblephus cristiceps | 40 CM | 1 |
| Dane | Porcostoma dentata | 0 CM | 5 |
| Dorado (Dolphin Fish) | Coryphaena hippurus | 0 CM | None |
| Elf (Shad) | Pomatomus saltatrix | 30 CM | 4 |
| Englishman | Chrysoblephus anglicus | 40 CM | 1 |
| Fransmadam | Boopsoidea inornata | 0 CM | 10 |
| Galjoen | Dichistius capensis | 35 CM | 2 |
| Garfishes | Belonidae | 0 CM | None |
| Garrick (Leervis) | Lichia amia | 70 CM | 2 |
| Geelbek (Cape salmon) | Atractoscion aequidens | 60 CM | 2 |
| Glassies | Ambassidae | 0 CM | None |
| Hake | Merluccius | 0 CM | None |
| Halfbeaks | Hemiramphidae | 0 CM | None |
| Horse Mackerel (Maasbanker, Mosi) | Trachurus trachurus capensis | 0 CM | None |
| Hottentot | Pachymetopon blochii | 22 CM | 10 |
| John Brown | Gymnocrotaphus curvidens | 0 CM | 5 |
| Kingfishes | Caranx | 0 CM | 5 |
| Kingklip | Genypterus capensis | 0 CM | 1 |
| King Mackerel (Couta) | Scomberomorus commerson | 0 CM | 10 |
| Kob**** | Argyrosomus | 50 CM | 1 |
| Large-Spot Pompano (Wave Garrick) | Trachinotus botla | 0 CM | 5 |
| Leopard Cat Shark | Poroderma pantherinum | 0 CM | 1 |
| Mullets (Harders) | Mugilidae | 0 CM | 50 |
| Natal Knifejaw (Cuckoo Bass) | Oplegnathus robinsoni | 0 CM | 5 |
| Natal Stumpnose | Rhabdosargus sarba | 25 CM | 5 |
| Pinky (Piggy, Olive Grunt) | Pomadasys olivaceum | 7.5 CM | 10 |
| Poenskop (Black Musselcracker) | Cymatoceps nasutus | 50 CM | 1 |
| Queen Mackerel | Scomberomorus plurilineatus | 0 CM | 10 |
| Ragged Tooth Shark | Carcharias taurus | 0 CM | 1 |
| Red Steenbras | Petrus rupestris | 60 CM | 1 |
| Red Stumpnose | Chrysoblephus gibbiceps | 30 CM | 1 |
| River Bream (Perch) | Acanthopagrus berda | 25 CM | 5 |
| Rock Salmon (River Snapper) | Lutjanus argentimaculatus | 40 CM | 5 |
| Roman | Chrysoblephus laticeps | 30 CM | 2 |
| Santer (Soldier) | Cheimerius nufar | 30 CM | 5 |
| Sardine (Pilchard, Red Eye) | Clupeidae | 0 CM | None |
| Sauries | Scomberesocidae | 0 CM | None |
| Scads | Decapterus | 0 CM | None |
| Scotsman | Polysteganus praeorbitalis | 40 CM | 1 |
| Slinger | Chrysoblephus puniceus | 25 CM | 5 |
| Snoek (Cape Snoek) | Thyrsites atun | 60 CM | 10 |
| Southern Pompano | Trachinotus africanus | 0 CM | 5 |
| Spotted Grunter | Pomadasys commersonnii | 40 CM | 5 |
| Spotted Gully Shark | Triakis megalopterus | 0 CM | 1 |
| Springer | Elops machnata | 0 CM | 5 |
| Steentjie | Spondyliosoma emarginatum | 0 CM | 10 |
| Stonebream | Neoscorpis lithophilus | 0 CM | 5 |
| Strepie (Karanteen) | Sarpa salpa | 15 CM | 10 |
| Striped Cat Shark | Poroderma africanum | 0 CM | 1 |
| Swordfish (Broadbill) | Xiphias gladius | 25 KG | 5 |
| Squid (Chokka) | Loligo vulgarus reynaudii | 0 CM | 20 |
| Tuna | Thunnus | 6 KG | 10 |
| West Coast Steenbras | Lithognathus auret | 60 CM | 1 |
| White Musselcracker (Brusher) | Sparodon durbanensis | 60 CM | 2 |
| White Steenbras (Pignose Grunter) | Lithognathus lithognathus | 60 CM | 1 |
| White Stumpnose | Rhabdosargus globicebs | 25 CM | 10 |
| Wolfherring | Chirocentrus dorab | 0 CM | None |
| Yellow Belly Rock Cod | Epinephelus marginatus | 60 CM | 1 |
| Yellowtail | Seriola lalandi | 0 CM | 10 |
| Zebra | Diplodus cervinus hottentotus | 30 CM |
5 |
Kob caught from a boat at sea
Cape Agulhas to Umtamvuna
River
Kob caught from a boat at sea
The Province of KwaZulu-Natal
Kob caught in estuaries & from
the shore East of Cape Agulhas only
Kob West of Cape Agulhas only
Closed Seasons For South African Angling
There is an overall bag limit of 10 fish per person per day, no matter what species they are. Listed Below are the closed seasons for fishing:
- Shad closed season 1 October - 30 November (No Shad fishing to be done during this time)
- Red Steenbras closed season 1 October - 30 November (No Red Steenbras fishing to be done during this time)
- Galjoen closed season 15 October - the last day of February the next year (No Galjoen fishing may be done during this period)
- Chokka Squid closed seasons (There are 3) March 19 from 12h00 - April 9 19h00; 12h00 23 July - 12h00 August 13; 19 October 12h00 - November 23 12h00.
Cast Net Rules, Bag Limits & Regulations In South Africa
A cast net may not be used between sunset and sunrise or in any other dark hours. The following is a table of fish species that are the ONLY species allowed to be caught in a throw net:
| Name | Size Limit | Bag Limit |
| Anchovy | None | None |
| Chub Mackerel | None | None |
| Glassy | None | None |
| Halfbeak | None | None |
| Horse Mackerel | None | None |
| Mullet | None | 50 |
| Pinky | 7.5cm | 10 |
| Sardine | None | None |
| Saury | None | None |
| Scad | None | None |
| Strepie | 15cm | 10 |
Shellfish And Bait Organism Rules & Bag Limits
No person shall collect bait or shellfish or fish for them between sunset and sunrise. Please note that special bait collecting licenses are needed. Below are the bag limits and collection methods:
| Organism | Max Per Day | Collection Method | Other |
| Alikreukel | 5 | By Hand only | Min Size 63.5mm |
| Armadilo (Chiton) | 6 | By Hand Only | |
| Bloodworm | 5 | By Hand, Suction Pump or Wire | |
| Clam | 8 | By Hand Only | |
| Crab & Hermit Crab | 15 | By Hand, Rod & Line | Excl. Mud Crabs & Mole Crabs |
| Cuttlefish | 2 | By Hand Or Line | |
| Limpets | 15 | By Hand Or With An Implement With A Blade Or Flat Edge Not Exceeding 12mm in length | |
| Mole Crab | 30 | By Hand Or Triangular Trap | |
| Mud Crab | 6 | Only By Hand, Rod Or Line | No Crab in berry may be kept. Min Size 140mm measured across the broadest part of the back |
| Octopus | 2 | By Hand, Rod, Line Or Gaff | |
| Periwinkle | 50 | By Hand Only | |
| Razor Clam (Pencil Bait) | 20 | By Hand, Suction Pump Or Wire | |
| Red Bait | 2kgs Without Shell | By Hand Or With An Implement With A Blade Or Flat Edge Not Exceeding 12mm in length | |
| Rock, Black, Brown, Ribbed Mussels | 30 | By Hand Or With An Implement With A Blade Or Flat Edge Not Exceeding 12mm in length | |
| Mud Prawn | 50 | Only By Hand Or Suction Pump | |
| Sand Prawn | 50 | Only By Hand Or Suction Pump | |
| Sea Worms | 10 | Only By Hand Or Suction Pump | Excludes Bloodworm, Mussel Worm, Cape Reef Worm |
| Swimming Prawns | 50 | Only By Hand Or Scoop Net | Cant Exceed More Than 50cmx50cm |
| Scallop | 50 | By Hand Only | |
| Sea Cucumbers | 10 | By Hand Only | |
| Sea Urchins | 20 | By Hand Only | |
| White Mussel | 50 | By Hand Or With An Implement With A Blade Or Flat Edge Not Exceeding 12mm in length | Min Size 35mm |
| Oysters | 25 | By Hand Or With An Implement With A Blade Or Flat Edge Not Exceeding 40mm in length not less than 1 meter | |
| Chokka Squid | 20 | Rod Or Line Only |
Please Remember, Limit your catch, don't catch your limit...
