Movement patterns of surf-zone fish species in a subtropical marine protected area on the east coast of South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
BQ Mann ◽  
PD Cowley ◽  
ST Fennessy
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Surf Zone ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Movement Patterns

scholarly journals Preliminary assessment of surf-zone and estuarine line-fish species of the Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan A. Venter ◽  
Bruce Q. Mann
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Surf Zone ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Fish Populations ◽  
Estuarine Fish ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Preliminary Assessment

A preliminary assessment of surf-zone and estuarine line fish was carried out in the DwesaCwebe Marine Protected Area (MPA), on the Wild Coast, South Africa. The purpose was to provide baseline data on inshore line-fish stocks in the MPA. A total of 28 species was recorded, of which 53% have a conservation status reflecting some concern and 43% are endemic to southern Africa. This highlights the value of the MPA for protection of important line-fish species. Within the MPA, localised differences were detected in species diversity, size frequency and catch per unit effort between unexploited and illegally exploited areas. These differences were more prominent in slow growing, long-lived species. It thus appears that illegal exploitation is negatively affecting fish populations within the MPA, which counteract and potentially could eliminate the benefits of fish protection typically associated with no-take MPAs. These results highlight the need for improved law enforcement and better communication with neighbouring communities to increase awareness. It is further recommended that the current no-take status of the MPA should be maintained. In addition, baseline fisheries information was collected on certain fish species that could be used to inform future conservation management of the MPA.Conservation implications: The Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area is unique and important for the conservation of key surf zone and estuarine fish species. However there is a significant risk to the fish populations due to illegal exploitation. Key interventions should include enhanced law enforcement but, more important, the creation of alternative livelihoods and long term sustainable benefits to local communities.

Crossing Invisible Boundaries: the Effectiveness of the Langebaan Lagoon Marine Protected Area as a Harvest Refuge for a Migratory Fish Species in South Africa

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 653-661 ◽  
Author(s):  
SVEN E. KERWATH ◽  
EVA B. THORSTAD ◽  
TOR F. NAESJE ◽  
PAUL D. COWLEY ◽  
FINN ØKLAND ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Migratory Fish

scholarly journals Movement patterns and growth rate of cavebass Dinoperca petersi (Pisces: Dinopercidae) in the iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-59
Author(s):  
Bruce Q. Mann ◽  
Gareth L. Jordaan ◽  
Ryan Daly
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Average Growth ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
High Site

Dinoperca petersi is a relatively common fish species caught in the line-fishery in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Yet, little is known about the biology and ecology of this species. Movement patterns and growth rate of this species were studied based on data obtained from a long-term tag-recapture study conducted in the iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area in northern KZN between 2001-2019. Results showed that D. petersi is a highly resident species with a linear home-range size of 290-405 m. While most fish showed high site fidelity, 8.8 % of the tagged fish showed wider ranging movements of 2.4-90 km. However, only 5 fish showed movements out of no-take zones into adjacent exploited areas, suggesting limited adult spillover. Growth rate of tagged fish was found to be reasonably slow compared to other sympatric predatory reef fish with an average growth rate of 61.76 mm y–1 for smaller fish (gα = 300) and 9.58 mm y–1 for larger fish (gβ = 550). Based on these life history characteristics, options for the future conservation and management of this species are discussed.

Length-weight relationships of 10 fish species from Shengsi Ma'an Archipelago Special Marine Protected Area, East China Sea

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1231-1233 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Wang ◽  
C.-W. Li ◽  
Z.-H. Wang ◽  
J. Zhao ◽  
S.-Y. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
East China Sea ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
East China ◽  
China Sea

Case Note: The interface between customary rights and environmental legislation: Lessons from Gongqose & Others vs Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries & Others (SCA) 2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 134-160
Author(s):  
Alexander Paterson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Customary Law ◽  
Constitutional Court ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Customary Rights ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Law And Legislation

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, recognises customary law as an independent and original source of law, subject to the Constitution itself and legislation that specifically deals with customary law. As recognised by the Constitutional Court in Alexkor Ltd vs the Richtersveld Community (2004), customary law, as an independent source of law, may give rise to rights including rights to access and use natural resources. Rights to access and use natural resources are often comprehensively regulated by legislation. Conflicts between customary law and legislation relevant to natural resources may arise, as evidenced in the case of Mr Gongqose, who along with several other community members were caught fishing in the Dwesa-Cwebe Marine Protected Area situated off the Eastern Cape coastline. Notwithstanding their claims to be exercising their customary rights to fish in the area, they were convicted in the Magistrate’s Court for certain offences in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act (1998), under which the marine protected area had been established. Their appeal to the High Court proved unsuccessful and the Supreme Court of Appeal was tasked with considering the relationship between their customary rights to fish and legislation purportedly extinguishing these rights. The SCA’s judgment in Gongqose & Others vs Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries & Others (2018) is the first of its kind in South Africa to consider the extinguishment of customary rights to access and use natural resources through post-constitutional legislation. This note critically considers the guidance the SCA provided on proving the existence of customary rights to access and use natural resources, and the manner in which they may be extinguished through legislation. While the focus is on marine living resources, the lessons emerging from this case are relevant to other natural resource sectors.

scholarly journals Individual variation in residency and regional movements of reef manta rays Mobula alfredi in a large marine protected area

2020 ◽  
Vol 639 ◽  
pp. 137-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Andrzejaczek ◽  
TK Chapple ◽  
DJ Curnick ◽  
AB Carlisle ◽  
M Castleton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Variation ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Large Individual

Mobulid populations are declining on a global scale as a result of both targeted fisheries and indirect anthropogenic threats. In order to implement effective conservation strategies for species of this taxa, it is crucial that movement patterns at a range of spatiotemporal scales are defined. To gain insight into such patterns, we deployed a combination of acoustic (n = 21) and satellite (n = 12) tags on reef manta rays Mobula alfredi in the British Indian Ocean Territory Marine Protected Area (BIOT MPA) annually from 2013 through 2016. An extensive array of acoustic receivers (n = 52) were deployed across the archipelago to record the movements of mantas throughout the MPA. Data revealed large individual variation in horizontal movement patterns, ranging from high local site fidelity (<10 km) for up to 3 yr, to large-scale regional movements (>200 km) around the entire MPA. Depth time-series data recorded vertical movement patterns consistent with other epipelagic elasmobranch species, including oscillatory diving and deep dives to greater than 500 m. Though no individuals were directly recorded departing the MPA throughout the study, the gaps in detections and estimated travel speeds documented here indicate that movement of individuals outside of the BIOT MPA cannot be discounted. Collectively, our data suggests that, with effective enforcement, the current size of the BIOT MPA is providing substantial protection to its reef manta ray population. Characterization of movement patterns across ontogenetic classes, however, is required to fully characterize the spatial ecology of this species and ensure protection across all cohorts of the population.

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