The presence of oil industry vessels in areas that were once profitable fishing grounds for local fishermen has forced them to scope out new grounds resulting in extremely low catches and high overhead expenses.
At the Liliendaal foreshore on the East Coast where it would have been unusual to find boats around noon on Mondays some months ago, that is not the situation now.
The dire situation has resulted in boats moored at the foreshore with some bearing “For Sale” signs, some undergoing maintenance while the ice boxes of a few that returned on Sunday remained filled with ice due to low catches.
