Stilbaai Tidal Fish Traps

The Stilbaai Tidal Fish Traps (also known as the Noordkapperpunt Stone-Walled Fish Traps) are ancient intertidal stonewall fish traps (Afrikaans: visvywers) that occur in various spots on the Western Cape coast of South Africa from Gansbaai to Mosselbaai. Only a handful occur on the east coast. There are several concentrations of fish traps on the Hessequa coast between Gouritsmond, 30 km east of Stilbaai, with Witsand 35 km to the southwest. The fish traps are located on the edge of the Skulpiesbaai Nature Reserve and the Stilbaai Marine Protected Area. In 2018, they were declared a National Heritage Site. These fish traps are constructed in such a way that they form pools of varying size in the intertidal zone. They operate on the principle that at high tide during new-moon (i.e. dark-moon) spring tides, fish swim over the walls to feed. As the water recedes with the turn of the tide, the fish get trapped in the enclosure. It is then an easy matter to remove the fish from the almost dry trap.

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