Pretoria - The West Coast Rock Lobster (WCRL) mortalities have exceeded 200-tons as 80-tons of WCRL were washed out in Eland’s Bay on Wednesday morning.
This as a result of the harmful algal bloom (HAB) that was detected on the West Coast more than a week ago.
This pushes the total tonnage of mortalities in the HAB to over 200-tons. Last weekend, nearly 30-tons of WCRL washed out or got stranded in Eland’s Bay and around 6-tons were rescued during the clean-up operation.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the mortalities were dumped at a municipal dumping site.
On Monday morning, estimated 30-tons, mostly mortalities, washed out in the same area, while another 70-ton washed out on Tuesday.
The clean-up operation will continue and the Eland’s Bay beachfront remain closed to the public. Access roads to other beach areas, where there are possible signs of a walkout or washout, are also closed to the public.
The department vowed to continue monitoring the bloom that has now moved southwards. - SAnews.gov.za
