Over the past seven months, Cape Town’s small but mighty Marine Unit has ramped up patrols, inspections and seized nearly 5,000 West Coast Rock Lobster tails, proving that our marine life is in good hands.
Cape Town, South Africa (11 March 2026) – Cape Town’s coastal treasures are in good hands. The Marine Unit, made up of a specialised powerhouse of 15 uniformed officers and a dedicated crew of volunteers, has been working overtime to keep our oceans safe and our marine resources protected.
Over the past seven months, these guardians of the deep have seen a significant increase in patrols, inspections, and enforcement actions – sending a clear message to anyone flouting the law.
During this period, the unit made at least a dozen arrests and impounded a vessel, with a raft of successes since mid-January that also led to the recovery of nearly 5,000 West Coast rock lobster tails.
On 15 January 2026, officers apprehended two men, aged 45 and 47, for the illegal possession of nearly 400 West Coast Rock Lobster tails in Ravensmead. Less than 24 hours later, in the same area, officers detained a man from Uitsig in a shopping centre car park for the illegal possession and transport of 300 lobster tails.
A week later, officers arrested three men in the car park at Vangate Mall for illegal possession of yet another 1,000 lobster tails, and on 24 February, confiscated 3,162 of these at a residence in Bishop Lavis, detaining a suspect.
The Unit also supported an operation led by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), where four vessels were seized and ten fishermen apprehended for catching crayfish within a Marine Protected Area off Cape Point.
These separate incidents point to the longstanding challenge of the plundering of marine resources in the city.
The Marine Unit works closely with other agencies to preserve the natural balance and combat the overfishing and poaching of resources like abalone and rock lobster that often fuels criminal activity.
Members of the public are urged to report any suspicious activity to the Public Emergency Communication Centre at 021 480 7700 or the anonymous tip-off line at 0800 110077.
Related Story
Sources: City of Cape Town
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:
Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 