Fishing in Namaqua National Park

Namaqua National Park sits along South Africa's Northern Cape coastline, where the cold Benguela Current meets a stark, semi-arid shoreline.

The park has both a coastal section and an inland section further east, and the fishing here is almost entirely saltwater — rocky shoreline and surf, not rivers or dams. The Marine Protected Area (MPA) that forms part of the park carries its own rules.

Line fishing from land or vessel is permitted within the MPA, but only between sunrise and sunset, and only with a permit. Bait collection is similarly regulated.

Fishing is allowed in certain sections of the park as indicated by signposts on the ground — not everywhere along the coast is open, so reading those signs matters. You will also need a fishing licence, available from the post office.

The coastal campsites — Boulderbaai, Skuinsbaai Noord, Koringkorrelbaai and others — sit directly against the Atlantic, and fishing from the rocks or the shore is the natural activity here.

Boulderbaai is about 43 km from the Groenrivier gate; Skuinsbaai Noord is roughly 29 km from the same gate. The coastline is rocky with small bays, which shapes how and where you fish.

There are no facilities to speak of at these sites — no running water, no electricity — so everything comes in with you, including any gear you need on the water.

The rivers listed in the park database — Groen, Buffels, Haas, Bitter, Swartlintjies and others — run through arid country and are not referenced in any available fishing context for this park. The fishing that draws people here is the sea.

Check directly with SANParks for current permit requirements, MPA zone boundaries, and which sections are open before you go. Rules in marine protected areas can change, and the signage on the ground reflects what's current.