Consumption of catch and interference with linefishing by South African (Cape) fur seals Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus

Abstract

The controversy surrounding the consumption of catch and interference by seals within the handline industry has led to complaints and conflicting statements by fishermen. In an attempt to evaluate and quantify the effect of seals on the industry, questionnaires were distributed to skiboat clubs in and near Cape Town. Between February 1988 and May 1992, 193 returns were received from the Western and South-Western Cape. From the 167 returns analysed for this paper, it was clear that just two species (hottentot and snoek) were the main targets of the fishery. Losses to seals of these two species amounted to 1,5 and 3,0 per cent respectively. Losses were highest in November (8,4%) for hottentot and in August (11,4%) for snoek, whereas in January and April there were no losses of either species. Simplistic estimates for the whole of South Africa in 1989 indicate annual tackle losses of 0,035 per cent (R42 000 = US $16 000 in 1992) and fish losses of 0,2 per cent (R230 000) of the landed value of handline-caught fish.