Tourism & Conservation

A recreational fishing permit is required to fish along the SA coast, in estuaries and in many freshwater dams and rivers. Sea and estuary permits are issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and are sold at Post Office branches nationwide. Freshwater permits are issued by the provincial nature conservation authority.

Marine and estuary fishing licences (sea, spear, cast net, crayfish, oyster/mussel) are sold at almost every SA Post Office branch on behalf of DFFE. Freshwater licences are issued by the provincial conservation authority — CapeNature in the Western Cape, DEDEAT in the Eastern Cape and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in KwaZulu-Natal. Bring your ID or passport and cash/card.

Freshwater fishing licences are issued by the provincial nature-conservation authority — CapeNature, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Free State DESTEA and others. Buy your licence before fishing any provincial dam or river.

Hunting is regulated per province. Hunters need a provincial hunting permit (Ordinary or Professional) plus a landowner permit and, for trophy exports, a CITES permit from DFFE.

To camp in a national park or provincial nature reserve you need a booked camping permit from the managing authority — SANParks for national parks, CapeNature, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and others for provincial reserves.

Marine resource permits (oyster, mussel, west coast rock lobster) are issued by DFFE through the Post Office. Abalone (perlemoen) is not open to recreational harvest.