Eco-Care Trust

18/08/2026

Hyacinths at Rust de Winter Dam, what can be done?

🌿 THE WAR AGAINST WATER HYACINTH CONTINUES! 💧
Rust de Winter Dam is facing a growing battle against invasive water hyacinth – and manual removal is no longer enough.
With crocodiles, hippos, dense reed beds and rapidly spreading hyacinth making the fight even tougher, Eco-Care Trust, LEDET, the Rust de Winter Conservancy and the Centre for Biological Control are taking a new approach. 🦗
Thousands of hyacinth hoppers will be released to help keep this invasive plant under control – a long-term biological solution that could make a real difference.
🌱 Read the full story and discover how the battle is being fought.
https://foranglers.co.za/hoppers-join-the-war-against-water-hyacinth-at-rust-de-winter-dam/

21/07/2026

In fulfilling our mission to conserve our aquatic ecosystems for future generations, Eco-Care Trust has recently executed another successful gillnet removal operation. This operation was done at Roodekoppies Dam in Northwest Province.
We are thankful for the assistance of SAPS, Northwest Provincial Nature Conservation and Rangers of Northwest Parks an Tourism Board ( NWPTB) with the operation. Many illegal gillnets were removed by the Eco-Care Trust gillnet busters. This operation was done in coordination with the community safety group at Roodekoppies Dam.
However, such operations can only be sustainable with the financial support of people and business. You are welcome to contact Eco-Care Trust an NGO/NBO with donations or sponsorship opportunities in this regard. Find us at: http://www.ecocare.org.za/

08/07/2026

A big thanks to Boat Boutique for keeping The Ecocare Trust boat on the water with excellent service for many years. Without the support of Boat Boutique and assistance of Suzuki Marine and Lowrance SA it would be much more difficult to continue with our efforts to conserve our angling waters.

16/06/2026

Eco-Care Trust recently conducted a removal of illegal gillnets at Rhenosterkop Dam (Mkombo Game Reserve). We started with a reconnaissance day looking where are gillnets and taking out undersize bass. The dam needs a culling of undersize bass as it is a threat for the many indigenous and juvenile fish species in the dam. The following day we went full out taking out the illegal gillnets. We divided the dam in different zones and send boats to each zones. However, we saw that the bulk of the gillnets were at the Elands River inflow side of the dam. We literally took out a few kilometres of gillnets with plenty of blue kurpers. We also found a good number of redbreast kurper and bass in the nets. Other species in the nets were, a few papermouth, carp, barbel and one smallscale yellowfish and a limpopo bulldog fish. The numbers of fish killed in the nets are unfortunate, but it is impossible to cut loose all the fish in the nets. Many are in any case too damaged to survive. The fish were distributed to the employees and the local community. The numbers of of illegal gillnets in our freshwater systems are of the utmost concern. Eco-Care Trust is an NGO established in 1995 and is working in the field of freshwater aquatic eco-systems. We want to thank the Eco-Care trust volunteers, Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Board and SAPS Water Wing for their assistance with the operation.

22/04/2026

20/04/2026

Bloemhof is tops

07/04/2026

MESSAGE FROM THE NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR:
The Courier Guy – delivering the action!

We’re thrilled to announce that The Courier Guy is back at the helm of the Bloemhofdam Bonanza 2026 – and if last year is anything to go by, anglers are in for something special.

The Bloemhofdam Bonanza 2025 delivered unforgettable action on the water, with outstanding catches across the board. The competition was fierce and the fish were firing. Jaco van der Walt rose above the rest to claim the R100,000 prize for the biggest Carp, while the R50,000 prize for the biggest Barbel went to Johan Potgieter – both prizes with compliments of The Courier Guy.

As naming rights sponsor, we’re incredibly proud to once again be part of South Africa’s biggest inland fishing bonanza. Events like this celebrate everything anglers love: early mornings, tight lines, big fish stories, and the shared passion that keeps them coming back year after year.

“We’re delighted to deliver this iconic event once again. We wish every angler the very best of luck, and we look forward to handling your next package,” says The Courier Guy CEO, Craig Pitchers. “Over the years, we’ve grown to become South Africa’s favourite courier, trusted to deliver packages quickly and safely nationwide. Just as importantly, we’re deeply committed to conservation, supporting the Eco-Care Trust in protecting our freshwater ecosystems, so that future generations of anglers can enjoy waters like Bloemhofdam for years to come.”

2026 is a milestone year. It marks the 25th annual Bloemhofdam Bonanza, perfectly aligned with The Courier Guy’s own 25th anniversary. Together, we’re determined to make this edition one of the most memorable yet.

The Bloemhofdam Bonanza has become far more than a competition. It’s a national angling tradition, drawing anglers and families from across South Africa to share in the camaraderie, challenge, and thrill of the chase.

And this year, we’ve upped the stakes. Alongside our fellow sponsors, we’re bringing even more cash to the table – giving you even more reason to cast your line and give it your all.

So, pack the table, prep the rods. We wish every angler the best of success at the dam!

Naming Right Sponsor: The Courier Guy

https://www.facebook.com/TheCourierGuy/?checkpoint_src=any







Online registration: Justsc.co.za
https://bloemhofbonanza.com/

https://youtu.be/PQTs6t_4S1M?si=9o-453NF0t1UNiKG
https://youtu.be/9ajEdhtQ-xM?si=SHi0zPFvAWAeYsjU

03/04/2026

Please support our sponsors who ensures the very nice prizes for our participants at The Courier Guy Bloemhof Bonanza 2026. Look at the safety features XPF products are providing to their customers!

https://www.facebook.com/TheCourierGuy/?checkpoint_src=any






Online registration: Justsc.co.za
https://youtu.be/PQTs6t_4S1M?si=9o-453NF0t1UNiKG
https://youtu.be/9ajEdhtQ-xM?si=SHi0zPFvAWAeYsjU