SAVING SANDFISH
Conservation, Science, Web Series, Virtual Reality, Documentary Film
Saving Sandfish is helping protect the Clanwilliam Sandfish from extinction and strengthening stewardship among communities in the Biedouw Valley.
The Doring is the last large, undammed, free-flowing river in the Cape Fold Ecoregion.
It is also the last outpost for South Africa’s most threatened migratory freshwater fish.
The Clanwilliam Sandfish
“Sandfish were once widespread in the Olifants-Doring River system, but they have entirely disappeared from the Olifants. Remaining sandfish are only known to spawn in two tributaries, the Oorlogskloof and the Biedouw, with only small fragments suitable for young sandfish to survive.”
— Dr Bruce Paxton, Freshwater Ecologist
“There were so many sandfish they would make a wave, the whole school would stretch from one side of the river to the other.
But that is no more.”
— Sarah Fransman, Biedouw Valley
In some years, adult sandfish still migrate up the Biedouw River to spawn, leaving thousands of eggs to hatch into young sandfish.
When young fish emerge and swim downstream, they fall victim to predatory alien fish such as bass and bluegill. Young fish are also threatened by unnaturally low summer flows resulting from over-abstraction of water, climate change and infestations of thirsty invasive plants.
“Of the 15 bluegills we caught, a third of them had baby sandfish in their stomachs.
The bluegill have got to go.”
— Dr Leonard Flemming, Microbiologist and Flyfisherman
“Essentially, the sandfish life cycle is broken. Each year the adult fish in the Doring grow older, and with little or no recruitment to build the next generation, sandfish are swimming rapidly towards extinction.”
— Dr Jeremy Shelton, Freshwater Ecologist
In 2012, a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for sandfish was developed by Bruce Paxton, Peter Ramollo, Mandy Schumann, Martine Jordaan and Dean Impson. The plan lays out a set of priority actions for conserving sandfish and their rivers.
CapeNature, the regional conservation authority, is developing a plan to rehabilitate a section of the Biedouw River by clearing invasive alien plants and fish within the next 5-10 years to relieve pressure on the sandfish population. Given that this takes a long time to develop, it is vital that interim conservation measures are in place.
Saving Sandfish aims to follow up on a subset of the sandfish BMP actions by preventing extinction of the Biedouw River sandfish population through bolstering recruitment. We are working closely with passionate conservationists, organisations and Biedouw Valley land-owners to ensure that sandfish continue to thrive long into the future.
Conservation
Saving Sandfish
In collaboration with Freshwater Research Centre, CapeNature, Enjo Nature Farm, Mertenhof and Bushmanskloof.
The role of this project is to increase sandfish survival and help prevent extinction of the Biedouw River sandfish population. After the adults spawn in August, young fish are rescued in November and released into farm dams that have been prepared in partnership with local land-owners to act as nursery areas for young fish. These sandfish sanctuaries allow the ~5cm fish to grow to a more resilient size (> 20 cm) that will lessen their chances of being eaten by predatory alien fish, whereafter they will be released back into the Doring River. This project builds upon pilot studies in 2014 and 2019, where 362 and 610 young fish were relocated to the upper Biedouw River. Encouragingly, renowned fly-fisherman Leonard Flemming has seen medium-sized sandfish here, indicating that some of the relocated fish are thriving. Since 2020, more than 15,000 young sandfish have been rescued from the Biedouw River and relocated to temporary sandfish sanctuaries. So far 1,300 sandfish have been released back into the wild the aim is to release the remainder of the rescued sandfish over the next two years.
Science
Saving Sandfish
In collaboration with Freshwater Research Centre and Endangered Wildlife Trust
Rivers change, and so do their inhabitants. To better understand what is happening to sandfish in the Cederberg, we need to survey places that have never been surveyed before. Are there sandfish there? How many? Where do they spawn? These are all are important questions that need answers. We also need to know how previously sampled areas have changed. What has happened to that pool that was filled with sandfish 20 years ago? Well, luckily for us we can find out, as Dr Bruce Paxton did some pioneering surveys all those years ago and, together with Bruce, we aim to revisit many of these sites again between 2020 and 2022. We also aim to describe and document sandfish spawning behaviour for the very first time.
Web Series
Saving Sandfish
In collaboration with Tegan Phillips
A behind-the-scenes look into what it’s like to try save a species. With splashes of dry humour, this semi-serious series is a blow-by-blow account of a small and passionate crew of scientists, film-makers and conservationists as they try to better understand the past, present and future landscapes of the Clanwilliam Sandfish. Along the way we profile farmers, workers, scientists and conservationists to get their insight into what is happening to some of South Africa’s lesser known rivers.
Virtual Reality
Die Onbekende Onderbekvis
Directed by Jeremy Shelton and Otto Whitehead
Virtual Reality has been termed ‘the empathy machine’ and gives viewers an immersive look into worlds that are unknown to them. In this case, we are using virtual reality to share the lives of the sandfish and the environments they inhabit with communities in the Biedouw Valley.
Documentary Film
Salmon of the Cederberg
Directed by Jeremy Shelton and Otto Whitehead
Never before has the spawning of the sandfish migration been filmed, photographed or even studied. Some say it no longer exists, but we know that they spawn because we still find eggs and young fish in certain rivers during wet years. This documentary chronicles the past landscapes of the Cederberg, when San roamed its valleys and fish were plentiful, to the recent valley farmers who are now being forced to give up their way of life due to severe water shortages. It explores the future and reflects on what can be done today to make sure that this won’t be the last sandfish migration.
“Our greatest hope is that these sandfish stories inspire local communities and land-owners to reimagine their relationship with rivers.”
