Collapse of linefish stocks between Cape Hangklip and Walker Bay, South Africa

Abstract

The state of the linefishery between Cape Hangklip and Walker Bay on the Cape south coast, South Africa, is assessed. The coast was subdivided into 20 'beats' to provide high spatial resolution on catch and effort of the shore-based recreational fishery. An observer recorded the number of anglers in each fishery sector, and their catch, during shore patrols over a two-year period. Catch-and-effort data for the commercial boat-based fishery were obtained from an historical database at the turn of last century and from the extant National Marine Linefish System database. Catch per unit effort (cpue) of shore-anglers was low and many of the species caught earlier in the century have disappeared from catches. Compared to the early records, contemporary commercial linefish cpue had dropped by approximately 80%, despite a greater fishing capacity. It is argued that most targeted stocks have been overexploited (notwithstanding indications of environmental change) and many are severely depleted. Poor management of the fishery, including a lack of control of commercial effort and inadequate enforcement, contributed to overexploitation.