Estate Living Magazine #liveyourbestlife - Issue 46 December 2019 | Page 46

C O M M U N I T Y
FISHY
L I V I N G
BUSINESS
Fishing can be a profitable offering for estates with water – but you have to set it up properly and manage
it carefully. Here’s how.
Countless studies have shown that outdoor activity is good for
your mental health, and – interestingly – even more so if there
is water involved. And that’s hardly surprising. We all know that
the sound and sight of water is soothing. So providing water-
based activities can greatly enhance the perceived value of your
estate. So fishing – one of the most popular and relaxing of water
activities – could prove to be an additional and highly regarded
asset.
Of course, this will require some detailed planning, and perhaps
some specialised management, but it is almost certainly not
nearly as complicated as you may think.
Is your estate suitable for fishing?
Naturally, if there are already fish there that’s a good
start and, even if there are not, it may be possible to
introduce them. The vast majority of freshwater fish
species are suitable for angling of some type. But key
questions include your geographical location and elevation.
Indigenous species will require less management, and you are
far more likely to be able to introduce species that already exist
within your specific watershed. Activities related to alien species
are restricted in terms of NEMBA (National Environmental
Management: Biodiversity Act 2004), but that only essentially