26/07/2025
DOG WALKING ON OUR BEACHES: There seems to be a big misunderstanding about where dogs are and are not allowed to be walked on our local beaches. The Helderberg Marine Protected Area: No dogs, no fishermen! This area is found on the far west end of Strand beach (where the fence used to be). It is NOT the entire stretch of beach from Strand to Gordon's Bay! CoCT recently put up an informative sign explaining why this is a special place for us to protect (roosting and feeding site for many species of birds, fish nurseries in the Lourens River mouth that restock fish populations in the sea and river, prisitine dunes with their special dune vegetation). Please adhere to the regulations! We need to be proud to have such a special conservation area on our doorstep, we need to respect it :)
As for the rest of the beaches, please see the maps here - I translated these based on a brochure recently released by CoCT (link below). Dogs can be walked on leash in the orange areas and off-leash in the green areas. Dogs are not allowed in the red areas. There are many beaches where our dogs can be walked - just stay away from the Marine Protected Area on the far west end of Strand beach
(http://resource.capetown.gov.za/…/Dogs_and_%20Horses_on%20C…)
We as Helderberg Ocean Awareness Movement are working hard with stakeholders and other community organisations to get dog poo bins put up in the dog walking areas. We also support and applaud the efforts by CoCT to help conserve our very special Helderberg Marine Protected Area. Informative signs on where dog walking is allowed are being worked on by CoCT but it will take time to have these put up. And no, the fence cannot be put back by the Marine Protected Area, it is national law, we have enquired.
