Looking after our canals – Carp netting and removal programme
The Century City canals span over 8.5 kilometres, which includes the new Ratanga Park waterways and Intaka Island wetland. The canals form part of the precinct’s stormwater management system with the outlet of the system running under the Ysterplaat air force base to the sea, and an overflow at high flow into a stormwater detention pond also managed by the CCPOA and located between Skywater Avenue and Ratanga Road.
The waterways form an integral part of the Century City environment and overall design. Due to their importance, regular water quality testing, bird and fish monitoring, aquatic plant harvesting operations and monitoring, as well as rainfall measurement takes place. Water quality in the canals is influenced by the inflow of pollutants and nitrogen, oxygen levels, turbidity, absence of aquatic plants and number and species of fish in the system.
During the March 2023 fish survey, a large increase was detected in the number of Carp fish in the system. This was the first real increase in the Carp population since the fish eradication in all waterways in 2008, where approximately 20 tons of fish were removed, in an effort to clean the system.
Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) is an exotic, invasive species, originating from Europe and Asia. They can be destructive in altering any freshwater system, due to their ability as omnivores to out-compete indigenous fish and tolerate harsh conditions. They are bottom sediment feeders, churning up the bottom of any waterbody, leading to an increase in turbidity, overall decrease in water quality and making it difficult for any other species to survive and aquatic plants to establish.
As a pro-active remedial measure, the CCPOA will be embarking on an intensive netting exercise this Spring and throughout the Summer, to remove the Carp. Nets will be placed at various locations throughout the canal system and at the Detention Pond.
Residents are reminded that no angling is allowed anywhere in Century City waters and no fish may be released into the system.
Feel free to contact us if you require more information – 021 552 6889.
Left to right. (1) Brown water of the Century City canals due to elevated turbidity levels, which are also linked to an increase in Carp populations and lack of aquatic plants; (2) Exotic, invasive Common carp; and (3) Catfish; and (4) Cape kurper indigenous to the Cape river systems.