MARINE PROTECTED AREAS: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TAGGING EXCITING RECAPTURES MAIN SPECIES TAGGED TAGGING OFF A FISHING SKI TOP TAGGERS

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1 Tagging News MARINE PROTECTED AREAS: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TAGGING MAIN SPECIES TAGGED EXCITING RECAPTURES TAGGING OFF A FISHING SKI TOP TAGGERS A DECADE OF FISH MOVEMENT RESEARCH News from the ORI Cooperative Fish Tagging Project Number 29, Published July 2016, Results from 2015

2 From the tagging officer... Welcome to the 29th edition of the Tagging News. With the positive feedback we received for the colour upgrade of our 2015 edition (available at which th marked the 30 consecutive year of the ORI-Cooperative Fish Tagging Project, we have decided to keep the fresh new look. The Tagging News has been communicating the results of the cooperation between fishery scientists and anglers for more than three decades and has successfully promoted ethical angling while tracking the growth, migration and movement patterns of some of our common linefish species caught along the southern African coast. The number of fish tagged during 2015 (12 174) represents the second highest number of fish tagged since the project began in 1984, only just below the record of tagged in 1993 (see page 4). This was despite a decrease in the number of new (93) and active (453) members from Such a result is very encouraging with the average member tagging around 27 fish in 2015, compared to 25 and 23 fish per tagger in 2014 and 2013 respectively. This brings the total number of fish tagged in this Project to ! Following a rapid increase in tagging during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Tagging Project became stricter in terms of which species were tagged, and adopted a rule of quality rather than quantity (see page 4). Despite an initial decrease in the number of fish tagged, since 2007 more than fish have been tagged each year, with the average in the last five years being well over However, a worrying statistic is that only 35% of our members have tagged 10 or more fish - maybe it is time for some of our members to dust off those tagging kits and go fishing! Members who are no longer active are encouraged to please consider returning unused tags to ORI as we can reissue them.alternatively, the tags can be passed on to an existing active member. However, please remember to inform us first before you do so! The number of recaptures reported (1 091 or 9%) was the highest in the Tagging Project's history and has been steadily increasing since This is likely because there is an ever increasing pool of tagged fish, it has become far easier to report recaptures ( /sms/whatsapp, etc.) and more people are hopefully now aware of the Tagging Project. If you do hear of any fellow anglers catching a tagged fish, please offer to assist them in reporting the right information timeously to ORI. As members of the Tagging Project, we all have a duty to ensure the correct handling and reporting of tagged fish. The numbers of fish tagged each year varies for many reasons, not least of which is the availability of different species to anglers at different times and locations. The figures on the adjacent page highlight the percentage of fish tagged along the southern African coastline and show the top 10 species tagged in 2015 and overall since the Tagging Project began. South Africa's national fish, galjoen (13.8%), remained the top species tagged in 2015 and th overall. This is the 27 consecutive year that it has been the most tagged fish. Dusky kob (9.0%), dusky shark (8.1%), garrick/leervis (7.3%) and spotted grunter (6.3%) made up the remainder of the top five species tagged in The number of shad/elf (2.3%) and white steenbras (1.7%) tagged in 2015 dropped from 2014 numbers, with both species falling out of the top 10 species tagged list. The number of yellowbelly rockcod tagged again exceeded 2% during 2015 which is interesting if one considers that this species is deemed to be overfished. Is this a possible recovery of yellowbelly numbers as a result of better regulations introduced in 2005? There was also an increase in the number of largespot pompano/wave garrick tagged during 2015, which is encouraging considering this commonly caught surf-species has no size limit and a bag limit of five per person per day. This is only the second time since 2011 that this species has made the top 10 species tagged list. Both these increases, however, may be explained by the increased numbers of yellowbellys and largespot pompanos being tagged in ORI s Marine Protected Area projects (see pages 10 and 11). The Western Cape (22.0%) and Eastern Cape (21.5%) remained the regions where the bulk of the tagging took place. This result is expected as there are far more tagging members residing in these areas as well as a higher biomass of fish species that can be targeted all year round both from the shore and offshore. Zululand (14.6%), Southern Cape (13.7%) and KwaZulu-Natal (13.4%) also had reasonable numbers of fish tagged in 2015, with both Zululand and KwaZulu-Natal increasing by 2.4% and 3.6% respectively from We sincerely hope that you enjoy this exciting issue of the Tagging News. We would like to say a big Thank You to all of our tagging members for their ongoing support, as well as to the numerous anglers who have provided information on tag recaptures. The long-term success of this project is entirely thanks to your on-going contributions towards the wise use and conservation of our marine linefish species. For those of you who have not already seen your tagging profile, please go to To login you need to enter your tagging reference number, e.g. TA0218, and repeat this number as your password. The tagging instruction booklet, Tagging News and the electronic datasheets for tag release and recapture submissions via /fax are available for download from the website. If possible, we prefer the use of the electronic datasheets for data submission as it guarantees that we receive the data. Please feel free to distribute the Tagging News to your fellow anglers. We wish you tight lines and happy tagging. Stuart Dunlop The Tagging News is edited by Stuart Dunlop, Bruce Mann and Bernadine Everett Postal address: PO Box 736 Durban 4000 Contact information: Oceanographic Research Institute Cell: Tel: Fax: oritag@ori.org.za 2 Cover photo: Johnathan Bishop with a tagged white musselcracker

3 Percentage of Fish Tagged Along the Southern African Coast in 2015 (percentages in brackets indicate overall distribution of tagging since 1984) 0.2% Namibia (4.8%) 0.3% Mozambique (2.2%) 14.6% Zululand (13.8%) 3.3% West Coast (6.6%) Top 10 Species Tagged in 2015 (percentages in brackets indicate overall composition of tagging since 1984) Garrick 7% (5%) 22.0% Western Cape (26.6%) 13.7% Southern Cape (7.5%) 21.5% Eastern Cape (16.9%) 13.4% Natal (9.9%) 7.9% Transkei 3.2% (7.0%) Border (4.1%) Dusky kob 9% (6%) Spotted gulleyshark 3% (3%) Galjoen 14% (20%) Spotted grunter 6% (4%) Dusky shark 8% (5%) Blackspot smoothhound shark 3% (2%) Yellowbelly rockcod 2% (1%) Largespot pompano / wave garrick 3% (1%) Spotted ragged-tooth shark 3% (2%) 3

4 Tagging off a fishing ski - the challenges and rewards By Brendan O'Connell - ORI Tagging Member Being a lover of the big blue, a budding citizen-scientist and a compulsive list-maker, tagging off a fishing ski created a great platform for me to satisfy all these aspects of my character, with the added benefit of being able to give back as I take out! Programmes such as the ORI Tagging Project and the South African Bird Atlas Project meet this need, but not without their challenges! The majority of fish I have tagged to date have been off a fishing ski, so I suppose that's something unique, but finding a way to effectively fish and tag off a fishing ski has proved challenging but surprisingly rewarding. On a typical trip launching out the gap to fish on the wild side of Port Elizabeth (PE), I record avian pelagics such as the majestic Indian yellow-nosed albatross whilst paddling to my fishing mark, noting them for a later submission to the South African Bird Atlas Project. But once I get to the mark and the fishing begins, out comes my tagging kit, now an indispensable part of my fishing setup. Tagging most importantly provides data for the scientists and managers of our fish stocks, but I have also found that it has had a positive influence on those whom I fish with and the way we fish has been changed for the better. Tagging has provided us with a new reason to catch fish, with the result being that we are more likely to only take those species that are sustainable, and what we can eat fresh that weekend! All other fish that we catch are now tagged and released. One of the main challenges of tagging off a fishing ski, however, revolves around a lack of working space! As one can imagine, a fishing ski has a narrow work space of approximately 60 cm. So depending on the size of the fish you are tagging, either you have to place the fish across your lap, or in between your legs on the wet well hatch. To date I have been able to tag a number of larger fish in the 1 m range by placing them on my lap. This is mainly due to the fish going lame in a suspended state of shock. I believed this was the best tagging method until a 20 kg dusky kob strongly objected to the applicator needle being inserted, and almost knocked me out as it flew over my shoulder back into the deep blue! The second method of placing the fish between your legs also has an obvious danger, particularly from fish with 'fangs', Fish tagged/year Fish tagged per year and per angler Total no. tagged Average no. tagged per angler Year such as red steenbras, or the snapping elf/shad with their razorsharp teeth! Fishing from a ski, in general, makes everything up close and personal, and dealing with some species can be hazardous, the yellowbelly rockcod and the red steenbras in particular have a serious set of 'spines' and stiletto-like, gill-rakers that quickly lacerate the hands of the unsuspecting tagger. A simple solution to this problem, which I encourage, is to wear a glove, with which to hold the fish firmly when tagging. One quickly learns how important it is to a keep a fish under control on a ski, especially when using a two hook snoot set-up, as one can easily be hooked by the free hook, as the fish thrashes around on your lap. Measurement of the fish is often tricky off a ski, but this can be made easier by placing a fixed measuring sticker on the side of the ski. For larger fish, it is better to use the measuring tape provided by ORI. Sometimes the fish do, however, get the better of you and release themselves before a measurement can be taken. The upside of tagging fish from a fishing ski is that one can swiftly work with the fish, returning it to its natural environment immediately. However, it is vital to have one's kit accessible and organised, making the fish s time out of the water minimal, even if it means having to later decipher information from soggy tag cards! Possibly the greatest advantage of tagging off a fishing ski is the closeness to the water and that personal feel good moment with every fish tagged and released, as you see it swim strongly down and out of sight to safety into the environment from whence it came. The red steenbras is the fish that has most clearly changed my fishing outlook. In PE, we are privileged to enjoy a coastline that appears to be a nursery area for this species, with smaller specimens of below 750 mm being encountered regularly. The aggressive nature of the red steenbras means that it is the first to attack a bait presented over any healthy section of reef where it resides. The result is that the majority of the tags and recaptures that I have had are of red steenbras. To illustrate this, out of 324 fish that I have tagged to date, 51 have been red steenbras, and of those, 26 have been recaptured (51%), which is remarkable. Some of these fish I have recaptured personally, and at the same locality each year. One red steenbras I remember in particular, I nicknamed Fangs as he tagged me with a good puncture wound on the top of my finger when I first met him. I have since recaught him twice, but I am now wiser and more careful so I can ensure that we both get away without any injury! In 3 years, Fangs was tagged and recaptured twice within an 800 m radius, and grew 200 mm (from 520 mm in December 2013 to 720 mm in January 2016). One can only wonder how long a fish such as this would last in a world without limits set by informed scientists? The crux of the matter is that without the regulators our track record is such that we (humankind) will fish the sea to extinction. The regulators require guidance that is both sensible, and reliable. So let's sharpen those applicators, and TAG ON! Average fish tagged/angler/year Percentage recaptured % fish recaptured per year and cumulative number of fish tagged Recap % Cumulative no. tagged Year Cumulative no. tagged

5 Top Taggers: 10 or more fish in 2015 Member Name Facet 2015 Total Recapt. % Recapt. Member Name Facet 2015 Total Recapt. % Recapt. Member Name Facet 2015 Total Recapt. % Recapt. MR. W. COETZEE DS MR. C.F. MARAIS RS MR. P. GERVAIS RS MR. J. DE JAGER RS/DS MR. K. LLOYD RS/EST MR. J. LOUW RS MR. R. KYLE RS/EST MR. J. PYBUS RS MR. J. MOORCROFT RS/EST MR. N. DE KOCK RS/DS DR. R. VAN DER WALT RS/EST MR. A. ASPELING RS MR. K.A. HUMPHREYS EST/RS MR. C. BEZUIDENHOUT RS/EST MR. S. BRILL RS/DS MR. S. MEY RS/EST MR. D.W. HERTZOG RS MR. J. COATES EST MR. C.J. NIEHAUS RS/EST MR. C.F.M. BEZUIDENHOUT RS/DS MR. T.T. HUMPHREYS RS/EST MR. L. ALLISON RS/EST MR. C. BOTES EST/FLY MR. C. LAING RS MR. S. VAN ZYL RS/EST MR. C.D. LILFORD EST/RS MR. J. NELL RS/EST MR. G. MARCHAND DS/RS MR. G. MULLER EST/DS MR. R. THOMPSON RS MR. C. NELSON RS MR. W. POTTS RS/EST MR. J. THERON RS/EST MR. D.M. IRVINE RS MR. P. TERBLANCHE RS/EST MR. C. WILKINSON RS MR. B. FERREIRA EST MR. G. HEIM DS/RS MR. J.G. BOZMAN RS/EST MR. C. REIMAN RS/DS MR. S.N. HUMPHREYS EST/RS MR. T. ELVIN-JENSEN EST/RS MR. S. WALKER RS/EST MR. M. MAREE RS/EST MR. B. GERBER RS/EST MR. D. COLE RS/DS MR. D. PAUTZ DS/EST MR. S. JORDAAN RS/EST MR. P.C. OOSTHUIZEN EST/DS MR. J.F. PRETORIUS RS MR. M. MCIVER RS MR. C. HART RS MR. A. DU PLESSIS DS/RS MR. B. MOOLMAN RS MR. B.M. OCONNELL DS MR. D.F. VAN DYK RS MR. R. SCOTT DS MR. K. SMITH DS/EST MR. M. VLCEK RS MR. P.H. VAN NIMWEGEN DS/RS MR. J.P. McCARTHY RS/DS MR. O. VON HASSELN EST/DS DR. C. ATTWOOD RS/EST MR. B. SPARG RS/EST MR. W.N.R. BOTHA RS/EST MR. T. BEUKES DS/RS MR. M. WEEDMAN RS/EST MR. G. BROWN RS MR. A. BOTHA RS MR. E. KYLE RS/EST MR. W. POTGIETER RS/EST MR. A.W. ERASMUS RS MR. R. TAYLOR RS MR. A. ARTHUR RS/EST MR. A. HEATH RS/EST MR. D. GOVINDER RS MR. B. HARRIS RS/EST MR. C. JOHNSTON RS MR. M. DOHLHOFF EST MISS. K. KYLE RS/EST MR. J. JONKER RS MR. G. GROBLER EST MR. R. MAGGS EST/DS MR. B. KARP RS/DS MR. P. MC DONALD RS/EST MR. P. MORRIS RS MR. J.E. KUN EST/DS MR. M. MOLENAAR RS MR. R. POTGIETER RS/EST MR. B.K.A. LANGE DS/EST MR. J. OOSTHUIZEN DS DR. R. VAN HEERDEN RS MR. D. NAIDOO RS MR. K. HANSEN RS/EST MR. A. VAN DER WALT RS DR. S.L. SUTHERLAND RS MR. L. SMITH RS MR. R. CAMPBELL RS MR. J. VAN RHYN RS MR. B. FUCHS RS MR. H. CROUS DS/RS MR. B.F. VAN WYK RS/EST MR. J.P. GELDENHUYS RS/EST MR. S. HUMPHREYS RS/EST MR. M.M. VILJOEN RS/EST DR. J.J. DE LA HARPE RS/EST MNR. A. KRAHTZ RS MR. R. WARREN RS/DS MR. J. BRINK RS/EST DR. D.E. MALAN RS/EST MR. C. CARRUTHERS RS/DS MR. D. REDDY RS MR. R. COOK DS MR. C.H. DE LA HARPE RS/EST MR. P.D. MULLER JNR RS MR. P. CURRIE RS/EST MR. C. GROENEWALD RS MR. S. OOSTHUIZEN RS/EST MR. J. ISMAIL RS MR. T.M. HANSEN DS/GAME MR. G. SAVILLE EST MR. E. OWEN RS/DS MR. W. KRITZINGER RS MR. E. STEYLS RS/EST MR. J. SCOTT RS/EST MR. B. MENTOOR RS/EST MR. B.D. CARR RS/DS MR. G. SCHLECHTER DS/EST MR. R.B. MULLER RS MR. L. TAYLOR RS MR. A.D. BOONZAIER RS/DS MR. W.B. MULLINS DS/EST MR. V. REILLY RS MR. L. DAVIDOWITZ EST/RS MR. P. VAN DER WESTHUIZEN RS/EST MR. C. VEUGELERS EST MR. B. GROBBLER RS MR. M. VAN ZYL EST/RS MR. S. DUNLOP RS/DS MR. J. LORD RS/EST DR. M. BROWN RS/EST MR. L. MCKENZIE RS MR. G. POLLARD DS MR. W. COLEMAN RS MR. G.V. GOUGH RS/EST MR. J.D. LINDSAY RS MR. P. LEHMAN FLY/BOT MR. R.A. SHEPHERD EST/FLY MR. A. VILJOEN DS/EST MR. A. MANN RS/EST MR. M. WHITE EST MR. G. WRIGHT RS/EST MR. C. MARKS RS/EST MR. J. LUEF DS/RS MR. G. WARNER RS MR. G. MCLEAN RS/EST MR. R.F. BURGER RS/EST MR. W.R. BARFOOT EST/RS MR. N.S. NAIDOO RS MR. S. SPOWART DS/EST MR. G.P. BEAUMONT RS/DS MR. C. NEIL RS MR. C. LIEBENBERG RS/EST MR. Q. CATHERINE RS/DS MR. G. NIEWOUDT DS MR. J. ASHERWOOD RS MR. B. FORRER RS/EST MR. C. PIKE RS/DS MR. C.K. DE CLERCQ RS MR. R. SINGH RS MRS. K. SCOTT RS/EST MR. B. SNYMAN DS/RS MR. N. STONE EST/RS MR. A. SCHMIDT RS MR. G. SHOUGH RS MR. R. BERMAN EST/RS MR. K.W. STACEY RS/EST MR. D. MULLER RS/DS MR. W. LABUSCHAGNE RS MR. B. SWANEPOEL RS MR. D. SOLOMON DS/EST MR. P. ROSSOUW RS MR. B. TEDDER RS MR & MRS. R. VAN DER SANDT RS MR. D. BEZUIDENHOUT RS MR. C. VAN ZYL RS/EST MR. K. WEBBER DS MR. B. CRONEY DS MR. B. WOODROFFE RS MR. C.S. MULLER RS/EST MR. E. DIEN RS/EST MR. C. ERASMUS EST/RS MR. T. EGERSDORFER RS BF = Billfish, DS = Deep sea, EST = Estuary, FLY = Flyfishing, RS = Rock and surf 5

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8 Main fish species tagged up to 31 December 2015 Total Recaptured Km travelled Days free Total Recaptured Km travelled Days free Species tagged No. % Avg. Max. Avg. Max. Species tagged No. % Avg. Max. Avg. Max. Galjoen Blue marlin Dusky kob Bonefish Garrick/leervis White stumpnose Dusky shark Hottentot Spotted grunter Pickhandle barracuda Copper/bronze shark Largemouth queenfish Blacktail Red stumpnose Spotted gulleyshark Sandbar shark Shad/elf Eastern little tuna White steenbras Flapnose houndshark Blackspot smooth houndshark Puffadder shyshark Lesser guitarfish/sandshark Banded galjoen Spotted ragged-tooth shark Bartail flathead Slinger Bluntnose spiny dogfish Roman Brown shyshark Giant guitarfish/sandshark Elephantfish/St Joseph Largespot pompano Lemonfish Sailfish Blackspot shark Sevengill cow shark Spearnose skate Black musselcracker/poenskop Bluefin kingfish Diamond ray Snapper kob/salmon Giant kingfish Blue hottentot Blue/marbled stingray White seacatfish Zebra/wildeperd Blue emperor bronze bream Malabar rockcod Yellowbelly rockcod Whitespotted smoothhound shark Catface rockcod Snoek (Cape) White musselcracker Greyspot guitarfish/sandshark Carpenter Javelin grunter Baardman/tasselfish/belman Dorado/dolphinfish Speckled snapper Spotted eagleray Santer/soldier Smallspotted pompano Sharpnose stingray Englishman Ladyfish/springer/skipjack Cock grunter Smooth hammerhead shark Striped threadfin Unidentified hammerhead sharks Flathead mullet Albacore/longfin tuna Great barracuda Natal stumpnose Short-tail stingray Perch/riverbream Eeltail catfish Red steenbras Green jobfish King mackerel/couta Russell snapper River snapper Cape gurnard Striped catshark Maasbanker Westcoast steenbras Sliteye/tope shark Brassy kingfish Thorntail stingray Grey grunter Moustache rockcod Cape stumpnose Spotted spiny dogfish Dageraad Blackfin reef shark Duckbill ray Oxeye tarpon Skipjack tuna Banded catshark Soupfin shark Striped mullet Blacktip shark Dark shyshark/catshark Yellowfin tuna Longfin/tropical yellowtail Cavebass Tomato rockcod Scotsman Bigeye stumpnose Milkshark Whitebarred rubberlip Scalloped hammerhead shark Java shark Geelbek Sailfin rubberlip Black marlin Atlantic bonito Stonebream/stinker bream Yellowspotted kingfish Cape/giant yellowtail Cape moony Blacktip kingfish Sand steenbras Squaretail kob Doublespotted queenfish Honeycomb stingray Blue/ferdy kingfish Bigeye kingfish Greater yellowtail/amberjack Spinner shark Needlescaled queenfish Seventy-four Yellowtail scad Natal seacatfish Longfin kingfish Eagle ray Thintail thresher shark Hardnose smooth houndshark Concertina fish Silver kob Marbled electric ray Leopard catshark Brown catshark Striped marlin Panga Tiger shark Lyretail rockcod Janbruin/John Brown Shortfin mako shark Great white shark Round ribbontail ray Zambezi shark Shortbill spearfish Queen mackerel Wreckfish Potato bass Blue shark Halfmoon rockcod Steentjie Southern pompano Yellowfin emperor Priority species for tagging are highlighted with colour 8

9 Top 10 most exciting recaptures from 2015 Species Tag date Tag locality Tag size Tagger Recap Date Recap locality Recap size 27/12/1997 Kasouga, Port 400 John White 10/07/2015 Port Edward (KZN)? Alfred (ECape) (0.9kg) (6.24kg) Black musselcracker/ poenskop Recapturer Koos Du Preez Dist. (km) Days free Growth (mm) Comments ? Second longest recorded (17.5 yrs) distance and time at liberty for a poenskop highlighting the slow growth rate of this species Blue emperor 10/05/2015 Mtamvuna, Port Edward (Tkei) 325 ORI Scientist 10/11/2015 Port Durnford, Mtunzini (KZN) 360 Kevin Boyder Longest recorded distance moved by a blue emperor, normally quite resident Cape yellowtail 27/12/2014 Rooikrans, Cape Point (WCape) 770 Matt Louwrens 13/02/2015 Cape Agulhas, Struisbaai (SCape) 790 Daniel La Grange Eastward movement at a speed of 5.7 km per day Catface rockcod 26/04/2014 Cape Vidal, St Lucia (KZN) 530 Kevin Humphreys 29/06/2015 Xai-Xai, Mozambique? Subsistence fisher ? Longest recorded distance moved by a catface, it is possible there is some northward movement of adults for spawning King mackerel/ couta 01/05/2011 Mkambati, Pondoland (Tkei) ORI Scientist 28/06/2015 Port Edward (KZN) Francois de Villiers (4.4 yrs) 120 Usually highly migratory, recaptured only 33 km away after 4 years, possibly returned to the same area Slinger 12/10/2011 Mtentu, Pondoland (Tkei) 340 ORI Scientist 23/06/2015 Praia de Zavora, Guinjata, Mozambique? Unknown (3.7 yrs)? Longest recorded distance moved by a slinger, possible northward movement of adults for spawning Spotted raggedtooth shark 12/06/2015 Gonubie, East London (ECape) Wade Botha 13/12/2015 Macassar, False Bay (WCape) David Houghton km per day, raggies are known to migrate between KZN and the Eastern and Western Cape Stonebream/ stinkvis 06/09/2013 Kei Mouth (Tkei) 350 Gareth Gough 21/03/2015 Zinkwazi, Tugela River (KZN) 370 Fazel Ali This is only the 9th stonebream recapture to date and the longest recorded distance moved White Steenbras 12/07/2013 Breede River (SCape) 425 James Shuttleworth 09/12/2015 Strandfontein, False Bay (WCape) 670 Winston Hendricks Second longest distanced moved for a white steenbras, one of few that moved west Yellowbelly rockcod 29/06/2011 Mkambati, Pondoland (Tkei) 584 ORI Scientist 01/11/2015 Zinkwazi, Tugela River (KZN) 710 (6.5 kg) Norman Parnell (4.3 yrs) 126 Poosible northward spawning migration, normally very resident 9

10 Tagging provides recommendations for marine protected area size and spacing By Bruce Mann and Stuart Dunlop Oceanographic Research Institute Scientists and a dedicated angling team have been tagging fish from the shore in the St Lucia Marine Reserve (part of the isimangaliso Wetland Park) north of Cape Vidal since November During this period a total of fish from 71 different species have been tagged and fish (15.2%) from 17 species have been recaptured (including multiple recaptures of the same fish). The size of the home range (i.e. the area in which an animal lives and moves on a daily or periodic basis) for specific species was estimated where there was sufficient recapture data (e.g. speckled snapper, cave bass, yellowbelly rockcod, catface rockcod, grey grunter, etc.). For all of the species investigated the home range size was found to be relatively small and seldom exceeded one kilometre in length of coastline, indicating high levels of residency and site fidelity. Considering the home range size of these common surf-zone fish species and best practice guidelines on the size of the area required to protect a viable population of resident surf-zone fish species, the minimum size of a no-take sanctuary area (NTAs) was estimated. Furthermore, to ensure adequate connectivity between protected fish populations, the distance apart that such NTAs needed to be was estimated based on the movement patterns of fish that displayed ranging type behaviour (i.e. fish that abandon their home range and do not return), as well as best available information on the distribution of fish eggs and larvae. This research revealed that NTAs with a minimum size of 3 to 6 km (linear distance along the coast) of suitable surfzone reef habitat, spaced every 15 to 20 km apart could provide sufficient protection and connectivity for surf-zone fish populations. The implications of these results are considered with respect to the availability of suitable surfzone reef habitat, existing patterns of human use and the current zonation of the inshore area within the isimangaliso Wetland Park. Based on the results described, recommendations for improvement have been made including the possible implementation of two new NTAs, one just south of Lala Nek and the other between Gobey's Point and Nine-Mile. In addition, the relevant authorities were asked to consider implementing catchand-release areas as buffer zones on either side (north and south) of existing NTAs. It is believed that implementation of these recommendations will greatly improve the conservation of surf-zone fish communities in the park, which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the areas where fishing is allowed. Tagging in Marine Protected Areas The top number is the number of fish tagged in 2015 and the bottom number is the number of fish tagged overall. The number of fish recaptured is given in brackets. isimangaliso 937 (75) (1 403) Pondoland 276 (93) (1 064) Durban Table Mountain 163 (7) 7113(505) Cape Town De Hoop (147) (3 697) Goukamma 86 (2) 570 (22) Port of Ngqura Closed Area Tsitsikamma (58) (417) 0 (0) (573) Port Elizabeth Dwesa-Cwebe 283 (13) (55) Bird Island 0 (0) 150 (8) 10

11 A decade of fish movement research in the Pondoland Marine Protected Area In June 2004, the Pondoland Marine Protected Area () was established in the Eastern Cape along the former Transkei coastline. The includes 80 km of shoreline and extends out to sea to a depth of m beyond the continental shelf edge. 2 This equates to km of mostly scattered reef and sand habitat. The offshore area of the is zoned. In the central 2 region, there is a large ~650 km no-take zone, which is closed to all forms of vessel based exploitation. Controlled use zones are situated to the north-east and to the south-west of the notake zone. The objectives of this area closure were to conserve marine biodiversity and rebuild important reef fish stocks, which have been depleted by overfishing. In 2006, the ORI initiated a monitoring programme to evaluate the effectiveness of the. One component of the monitoring programme was aimed at investigating fish movement within and around the. This was achieved by tagging important linefish species in collaboration with the ORI-Cooperative Fish Tagging Project. From April 2006 to February 2016, fishes were tagged, of which 770 (19%) individual fish have been recaptured. If multiple recaptures (a single fish recaptured more than once) are included, the overall recapture rate is 27%. Recapture rates of target species (including multiple recaptures) were exceptionally high (see below), which indicates a high degree of residency. For example, 51% of the yellowbelly rockcod tagged on the project have been recaptured. The movement data collected from these recaptures indicated that 33% to 85% of the recaptures of the top eight species tagged were recorded within only 100 m of where they were originally tagged (see below). Species Overall recapture rate (%) Percentage of recaptures recorded within 100m from the original tag locality Yellowbelly rockcod Natal seacatfish Catface rockcod Scotsman Back musselcracker Halfmoon rockcod Slinger 9 40 Blue emperor 9 33 By Jade Maggs and Bruce Mann Oceanographic Research Institute Besides resident behaviour, which is typical of these reefassociated species, it was found that five of the eight species also undertook longer-distance movements of more than one kilometre (6% of all recaptures). These movements ranged from 1 to km, often taking the fish well beyond the borders of the no-take zone into adjacent fished areas (to view some of these recaptures please go to page 9 for our top exciting recaptures in 2015). Surprisingly, all these long-distance movements were in a north-easterly direction. Of fish tagged in the no-take zone, four slinger were recaptured between Warner Beach (163 km) and Guinjata in Mozambique (1 100 km). Sixteen Scotsman were recaptured between the Mpahlane River near Port Edward (21 km) and Ponta da Barra in Mozambique (1 211 km). One black musselcracker moved 334 km to Port Durnford near Mtunzini. Eight yellowbelly rockcod were recaptured between Umgababa near Warner Beach (149 km) and Richards Bay (335 km). Three catface rockcod were recaptured between Port Shepstone (76 km) and Mapelane near St Lucia (411 km). Considering that all of the above species are generally considered to be highly resident, these recaptures are remarkable and have greatly added to our knowledge on the movement behaviour of these fishes. All species that undertook long-range movement are important to the linefishery, and some are considered to be overexploited. These movements of fish from the no-take zone northward become available to the fishery and indicate some measure of potential of the Pondoland to enhance adjacent fisheries. The long-range recaptures were all reported by members of the public including recreational anglers and commercial fishermen. The knowledge gained on long-range movements was thus entirely dependent on collaboration from the angling public and reinforces the value of the cooperative nature of the ORI-CFTP. 11

12 2015 TOP TAGGER: WERNER COETZEE My fishing obsession started when I was six years old when my dad took me out deep sea fishing for the first time. It was the end of normality for me and the beginning of my interest in all things fishing. In 2011 I started fishing off a fishing ski, and this routine amplified my intimacy with the ocean and the different creatures therein. In 2013 after moving from George to Port Elizabeth, I was introduced to tagging by a fellow well known Port Elizabeth 'Skisher' as we ski fisherman are known and was intrigued by the information on recaps and the behaviour and migration patterns of different fish species. I mainly fish the Port Elizabeth area and therefore have done most of my tagging in this area. I have several memorable tagging moments, which include the capture, tag and release of th a red steenbras of 72 cm on the 5 of May 2015 (a reasonable th size for the Noordhoek area) and the 25 fish I tagged in one day off my ski near Kings Beach on the 25th December 2015, what a great Christmas present! Tagging has made me realize how exploitable and valuable our marine resources really are. To conclude I would like to thank ORI and all the individuals making this project possible and a special thanks to Stuart for the support and diligent feedback. Focus species: Spotted ragged-tooth shark ( Carcharius taurus) Movement Highly mobile with predictable seasonal migration into KZN and some residency of juveniles in EC Feeding Opportunistic, mainly fish, squid and other smaller sharks/rays Total number tagged 5408 Number recaptured 675 Longest distance moved 2966 (from Struisbaai to Save River, Moz) Distribution Wide-ranging in warm-temparate and sub-tropical coastal waters (MOZ, KZN, EC, SC, WC) Reproduction Give birth to two pups after 9-15 months Breeding season Mating in Oct-Nov, Give birth in Sep-Nov Max weight kg Max age years Longest time free 8256 days/22.6 years (1988 to 2011) Special thanks Angler: Ferdie Botha Growth Slow growing, Males reach maturity after 6-7 years, Females after 9-10 years We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the financial support received from the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) and the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), without which we would have been unable to continue this important project. Most of all, we would like to thank the angling public and all of our active tagging members for their on-going contributions towards linefish research and conservation. We would like to acknowledge Dawid van der Merwe for his monetary donation in David Hall (Hallprint Australia) is thanked for his excellent service and on-going supply of high quality tags and applicators. Roelf Venter is thanked for his assistance in fitting handles to the tag applicators. Lastly, we thank all of the other sponsors who have contributed in some way over the past 31 years, we salute you all!. 12