poaching kayakers @ SBWR 17July2011

These 3 kayakers were out early on Sunday 17July 2011. They entered Sungei Buloh Besar at about 0830 and headed up the river towards the Main Bridge casting their lines.

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Later, they were near Platform 1. One of the park rangers called out to them advising them that Reserve area was a 'no fishing' area. Whilst not pretending to be blur, but nevertheless refusing to release the fish already caught, they moved a little further out constantly casting their lines whilst occasionally paddling.

The trio continued to fish a little further away from the shore although well within the mudflat intertidal area. They even cast their lines close to the barge conducting shore restoration works. Later, they moved towards Pulau Buloh, which is still part of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and continued fishing.

In the meantime, the resident pair of otters showed up on the sandbank at Platform 1 before swimming up Billabong Buloh (the other way around Pulau Buloh). Fishing lines occasionally get irretrieveably stuck on out of sight objects below the water and fishermen cut the lines sacrificing the hooks and lures. The lures continue to attract fish, birds and possibly even the resident otters and where the exposed sides of the hooks continue to pose an everpresent threat to anything moving past them. Good thing the otters were safe this time.

Recently, on 18 June2011, a great-billed heron was seen splashing for its life after getting stuck in an abandoned driftnet near Platform 1.

Sadly, before the park rangers could rescue it, it drowned.

[pic by Peter W.]

After about an hour, the kayakers reappeared in the waters near Platform 1 constantly casting their lines and occasionally catching fish despite the clear earlier warning given by the park ranger. They eventually headed towards the Kranji Nature Trail.

There was a recent newspaper article about kayak fishing becoming more popular. It is hoped that such kayak fishermen respect the sanctity of the nature reserve and keep well away from it. Help us conserve what little we still have.

A note to others who may think about following these kayakers :-

A quick look at relevant legislation :-

Parks and Trees Act

Restricted activities in respect of animals, etc., in national parks and nature reserves

9. —(1) No person shall, except with the approval of the Commissioner granted under section 12 and in accordance with the terms and conditions of such approval, carry out any of the following activities within any national park or nature reserve:

(a) capture, displace or feed any animal;

(b) disturb or take the nest of any animal;

(c) collect, remove or wilfully displace any other organism;

(d) use any animal, firearm, explosive, net, trap, hunting device or instrument or means whatever for the purpose of capturing any animal; or

(e) carry or have in the person’s possession any explosive, net, trap or hunting device.

(2) No person shall carry out any activity within any national park or nature reserve which he knows or ought reasonably to know causes or may cause injury to, or the death of, any animal or any other organism within the national park or nature reserve.

(3) No person shall, except with the approval of the Commissioner granted under section 12 and in accordance with the terms and conditions of such approval —

(a) bring or release or cause any animal to be brought or released into a nature reserve; or

(b) permit any domestic animal to stray into a nature reserve.

(4) Any person who contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine of $500 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.