Cape Town - Beachgoers have been warned to exercise vigilance at False Bay beaches after hundreds of toxic puffer fish washed up on the coastline on Friday.
This as concerns have also been raised about brown water seen stretching from Muizenberg beach to Strandfontein at the weekend.
Head of education at AfriOceans, Terry Corr, said puffer fish had washed up on Muizenberg beach. He warned that the fish can be highly toxic and fatal to humans and dogs.
“Swimmers and beach walkers should take care not to touch or handle them. We believe that these puffer fish are moving down the coastline searching for cooler water as a result of unnaturally high water temperatures caused by climate change and then are being blown on to our beaches by strong south-easterly winds.
“The City should visit the beaches with a clean-up crew and pick them up and safely dispose of them as they are a health risk, especially to children and dogs. People should also be discouraged from collecting them to eat due to their toxicity,” he said.
The City said the Solid Waste Department was cleaning up the beach.
“The first puffer fish washed up on Friday. Puffer fish pose no danger to anyone, they are only toxic if consumed. Beachgoers should ensure that their dogs don't eat them. The Solid Waste Department will clean the beach today and will continue tomorrow,” the City said.
Muizenberg ward councillor Aimee Kuhl said although there was no immediate risk to humans, the fish should not be consumed and dogs should be prevented from ingesting them.
Concerns have also been raised about brown water stretching from Muizenberg Surfers Corner beach to Strandfontein.
“The cause of it is unknown and we must be careful to label it as 'effluent water' as in the past the City has said it is the cause of the presence of large quantities of diatoms and is 'safe for water users'. I would encourage the City to conduct water tests, specifically for e-coli.
“If we think of all the load shedding that has just been concluded, when the power is off huge quantities of 'treated' effluent water are discharged through a number of outfalls. I believe this water could be getting pushed back to shore by the gale-force winds we have been having here in False Bay,” Corr said.
The City said it would respond to questions in due course.