Assessment of the recreational linefishery in selected Eastern Cape estuaries: trends in catches and effort

摘要: Boat-based creel surveys were used to collect catch and effort data on the shore- boat-based linefisheries of Kromme, Gamtoos, Swartkops, Sundays, Bushmans, Kariega, Kowie Great Fish estuaries in Eastern Cape, South Africa, from January 1996 April 1997. The surveys, which performed primarily during routine fisheries law enforcement patrols by a regional conservation agency, recorded 2 468 individual angler outings (12 840 angling hours) 337 angler-count patrols. Although 26 species recorded, large proportion (85%) comprised only four species. Spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii (43%) was most commonly caught, followed Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi (16%), dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus (14%) white seacatfish Galeichthys feliceps (12%). In terms mass, overall dominated A. (50%) P. (33%). Overall per unit ( cpue ) number highest summer lowest winter, vice versa for according mass. Angler counts showed Sundays Estuary had mean both weekdays weekends (10.1 22.9 anglers count -1 respectively). Gamtoos (5.5 Kariega (9.8 ). Shore-based more popular than (59% compared 41%), all substantially higher weekdays. Angling with bait (93.3%) lure- or fly-angling (6.7% combined). Considerations management estuarine linefishery are presented. Keywords: catches, effort, estuaries, recreational African Journal Marine Science 2002, 24: 87–101