Page 14 - Bulletin 1 1997

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while at sea. According to the local medical practicioner, Dr J Fenhoulet, less than ten percent

of the men were free of such ailments (Kirkaldy, 1988.)

Era of Uncertainty 1883 - 1913

The Era of Uncertainly lasted 30 years and first element of uncertainty was associated with

the arrival of the railway in 1883. While it improved access to the Cape market its inevitable

extension to Simon's Town in 1890 introduced a major problem: it crossed the beach on a
viaduct and severely reduced the width of the beach above the high water mark available for

storing the boats; and it interrupted easy access from beach to main road making it almost

impossible to manhandle the boats up the concrete slopes of the subways (Fig. 2.1.) It was
therefore merely a matter of time before storms caused damage to the boats trapped between

the stone wall of the viaduct and high seas. Such an occasion occurred in 1898 when 17 - 19

boats, representing nearly half of the fleet of 38 boats, were badly damaged or destroyed. As a
consequence, the fishermen agitated for some kind of protection against the weather.

A second element was the arrival of trawling in Cape waters and in False Bay in particular.
Trawlers were larger, safer, could roam farther afield, make larger catches more quickly, and

therefore supply the markets more efficiently. They also damaged the sea bed and the fishing

banks. The Kalk Bay fishermen believed that the fluctuating catches were attributable to the
actions of the trawlers and that their livelihoods would be ruined. They petitioned the Cape

Government for closure of False Bay to trawling. Eventually in 1899 a three mile limit was

imposed on the trawling industry. At about the same time (1898) money had been set aside to
establish a Marine Biological Station to conduct research into marine life and provide a

scientific foundation for a healthy fishing industry. This station was opened at St James in

1902.