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Roving creel surveys and aerial surveys of shore-angling were undertaken as part of a national investigation into linefishing in South Africa. Shore patrols utilized a random stratified sampling procedure to collect catchand-effort data, and a questionnaire provided information on fishing effort, angler demographics, economics and attitudes towards current regulations. A total of I 677 patrols, covering 19616 km, was conducted between April 1994 and February 1996, during which period 9 523 anglers had their catches checked and 4 490 were interviewed. A further 16 497 km were covered by aerial surveys, when 22 609 anglers were counted. From the aerial surveys, angler densities were highest on the KwaZulu-Natal coast (4.65 anglers'km-I), followed by the Southern Cape coast (2.29 anglers'km-I), the Eastern Cape coast (0.36 anglers'km-I) and the West Coast (0.12 anglers•km-I). Catch rates varied from 1.5 kg•angler-J.day-I on the Southern Cape coast to 0.45 kg•angler-J.day-I on the KwaZulu-Natal coast. Total effort was estimated at 3.2x10 6 angler days•year• I and the total catch was estimated at 4.5xl 0 6 fish'year-I or 3 000 tons•year-I. Targcted species varied regionally, with elf Pornatornus sa/tatrix (29%) being the most sought after species on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, kob Argyrosornus japonicus (18%) on the Eastern Cape coast and galjoen Dichistius capensis on the Southern Cape coast (30%) and along the West Coast (50%). The catch composition by mass was dominatcd by P. sa/latrix on the KwaZulu-Natal coast (29%), the Eastern Cape coast (26%), and on the Southern Cape coast (56%) and by white stumpnose Rhabdosargus g/obiceps (40%) on the West Coast. Although anglers generally supported the regulations currently governing the linefishery, the questionnaire results showed that knowledge and compliance of them was poor. A low level of law enforcement was found, except for in KwaZulu-Natal. Management of the linefishery is discussed in relation to the findings of this study.

nitial estimates indicate that there are at least 7000 fishermen active in fisheries using beach-seine and gill nets in South Africa, mostly (86%) along the West and South coasts. Those fishermen utilize I 373 registered and 458 illegal nets and report an average catch of I 600 tons annually, constituting 60% harders Liza richardsonii, 10% St Joseph shark Cal/orhinchus capensis and 30% "bycatch" species such as galjoen Dichistius capensis, yellowtail Seriola lalandi and white steen bras Lithognathus lithognathus. Catch composition by mass varies bctween 70, 74 and 90% L. richardsonii off the Western, Southern and Eastern Cape coasts respectively to 88% sardine Sardinops sagax in KwaZulu-Natal. Catch-per-unit-effort declines eastwards from 294 and 115 kg'net-day" for the beach-seine and gill-net fisheries respectively off the West Coast to 48 and 5 kg'net-day" off KwaZulu-Natal. Consequently, the fishery changes in nature from a largely commercial venture on the West Coast to an artisanal/subsistence fishery on the East Coast. Attempts to validate compulsory catch returns indicate that at least half the annual catch, notably bycatch. is not reported. Reasons for this indicate an unwillingness to declare prohibited species, perceived avoidance of the taxman, ignorance as to the importance of catch statistics, multiple licensing authorities and management inadequacy to police illegal catches and nets.

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