Fishing in Addo Elephant National Park

Addo Elephant National Park sits in the Eastern Cape, stretching from the Zuurberg Mountains down to the coastal dunes of Alexandria and out to a marine section in Algoa Bay.

That range means the park holds both freshwater river fishing and surf and shore fishing along the coast — two quite different experiences within the same protected area.

On the freshwater side, the Sundays River runs through the park and is the primary river fishery. The rivers inside Addo are naturally episodic — they cycle through droughts and wet periods — which shapes what you find and when.

Research conducted over a 12-year period on the Coerney River documented the spread of largemouth bass, sharptooth catfish, and Mozambique tilapia alongside native species, so the freshwater fish community here is a mixed picture of indigenous and invasive species.

Along the coast, fishing is permitted from the beach, and the marine protected area that came into effect in August 2019 divides the coastline and offshore waters into a series of zones with different rules.

Some inshore controlled zones allow fishing with a permit; others, including the Sundays Inshore Restricted Zone, prohibit fishing entirely. Vessel fishing is not permitted in the inshore controlled zones.

The offshore controlled zones around Sundays and Cannon Rocks allow fishing with a permit. The St Croix and Bird Island offshore restricted zones are closed to fishing altogether. Permits work differently depending on where you're fishing.

For the Sundays River and beach fishing, permits are available at the Woody Cape office. For the marine protected area, permit applications go through Matyholweni Rest Camp near Colchester.

The permit required in most fishing zones falls under the Marine Living Resources Act. Check directly with SANParks for current rules before you go — the zoning in the MPA is detailed, and the wrong zone means no fishing.

This is a park where the conservation framework is genuinely present in the fishing. The MPA is recent, the freshwater system is being actively monitored, and the rules reflect that.

Come with the right permits, know which zone you're in, and the water here — river mouth, beach, or open coast — is worth the preparation.