A5076570550- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Crustacean biology and ecology
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Geographic Information Systems Studies
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Research Data Management Practices
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine and Offshore Engineering Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth
- Arctic and Russian Policy Studies
- Law, logistics, and international trade
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
University of Cape Town
2010-2024
South African Environmental Observation Network
2013-2024
Nelson Mandela University
2022
Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas
2010
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 430:241-255 (2011) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08956 Effects of demersal trawling along west coast southern Africa: multivariate analysis benthic assemblages L. J. Atkinson1,2,*, G. Field1, Hutchings1,3 1Marine Research Institute, and 2Zoology Department, University Cape Town, P Bag X3, Rondebosch,...
Abstract Bottom trawl fishing is a controversial activity. It yields about quarter of the world's wild seafood, but also has impacts on marine environment. Recent advances have quantified and improved understanding large‐scale trawling seabed. However, such information needs to be coupled with distributions benthic invertebrates (benthos) assess whether these populations are being sustained under current regimes. This study collated data from 13 diverse regions globe spanning four...
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) has become a priority for many states wanting to develop national blue economy plans and meet international obligations in response the increasing cumulative impacts of human activities climate change. In areas beyond jurisdiction (ABNJ), MSP is proposed as part package solutions multi-sectoral management at ocean basin scale. To facilitate planning, maps showing spatial distribution marine biological diversity are required. lacking data, like South Atlantic,...
Research survey data collected over 24 years (1986–2009) were used to explore long-term changes in demersal fish assemblages on the west coast of South Africa. Differences spatial (latitude and depth) temporal (seasonal annual) factors examined using multivariate analyses. Fish are clearly influenced by depth, with a distinct change region shelf break between 300 m 400 m. There also geographic differences assemblage from north south. Multivariate analyses show two clear assemblages, first...
After more than a century of global research in the deep ocean, many international collaborations and expansion deep-sea outputs, sea South Africa remains poorly studied with insufficient information, funding, infrastructure, expertise, employment prospects interest to support exploration. This situation is similar or worse developing countries which limits potential appreciate, understand derive benefits from sea. Drawing on experiences established early career researchers Africa, we...
The deep ocean harbours a rich diversity of fauna and genetic resources that underpin essential ecosystem processes. However, despite more than century global deep-ocean research, South Africa’s deep-sea remains significantly underexplored, hindered by several capacity constraints, posing challenges to the discovery equitable utilisation these resources. resulting gap in genomic baseline data further impedes our understanding biodiversity patterns, evolutionary significance, ecological roles...
South Africa has taken an iterative approach to marine ecosystem mapping over 18 years that provided a valuable foundation for assessment, planning and decision-making, supporting improved ecosystem-based management protection. Iterative progress been made in overcoming challenges faced by developing countries, especially the inaccessible realm. Our aim is report on produce improve national map guide other countries facing similar challenges, illustrate impact of even simplest map. produced...
This paper examines the increasingly close interaction between natural and social scientists, non‐governmental organizations (NGO) industry, in pursuit of responsible ecosystem‐based management fisheries. South Africa has committed to implementing an ecosystem approach fisheries management. Management advice stems from multi‐stakeholder representation on government‐led scientific working groups. In hake Merluccius capensis paradoxus fishery, primary measure is annual total allowable catch (...
Abstract Using long‐term survey data, changes in demersal faunal communities the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem were analysed at community and population levels to provide a comparative overview of occurrence timing regime shifts. For South Africa, community‐level shift observed early 1990s, lesser mid‐2000s, corresponded well with results other studies that showed environmental, or population‐level similar times, suggesting environmental forcing had played role. Several shifts...
Without baseline data from near pristine assemblages, measures of ecosystem change may be significantly underestimated. A unique historical dataset provided an opportunity to investigate long-term in demersal fish assemblages South Africa's inshore trawl grounds. Three sites surveyed over a period 1903 1904 were re-surveyed 2015 using replicated gear and methods. Catch composition was contrasted between modern periods unconstrained ordination, permutational multivariate analysis variance,...
Biological traits analysis (BTA) is considered to be a powerful technique for describing the ecological functioning of marine benthic assemblages. This study first apply BTA assess differences in faunal assemblages between areas exposed heavy and light trawling major upwelling ecosystem along west coast southern Africa. The data were collected from two sampling locations Namibia six South intensity varied area area. Significant biological (BT) detected heavily lightly trawled areas. Weighted...
Abstract Although acoustic tracking has been used to study the movement of several species clawed and spiny lobsters, only recent technological advances have provided sufficiently small transmitters examine utility using as a means analyse relatively such Jasus lalandii. The effect transmitter on mobility J. lalandii was tested in aquarium experiments shown no influence three separate experiments. Thereafter, adult male rock lobsters (86–98mm carapace length) were tracked field trials for up...
Abstract Inventories of biodiversity are crucial for helping support conservation and management efforts, yet the deep-sea, which is largest biome on earth remains vastly understudied. Recent advances in molecular detection methods offer alternative techniques studying inaccessible ecosystems, including those at depth. In this study we utilized environmental DNA metabarcoding, a first deep-sea benthic environments southern Africa, to assess biological diversity test effects depth historical...
A total of 248 roving creel surveys along the length Berg River Estuary, in Western Cape, South Africa, recorded 626 shore-angler and 88 boat-angler outings over period December 2002–November 2005. Catch-and-effort information was obtained from catch inspections with 360 handline 246 rod-anglers. Average annual linefishing effort estimated at 449 ± 29 (mean SE) days, 1 299 118 recreational days 394 57 subsistence (handline) days. The shore-based linefish (excluding boat-based catches)...
Abstract Large-scale longshore movements (>10 km) of adult male Jasus lalandii (>70 mm carapace length) were examined on the west coast South Africa using tag-recapture information from period 1968 to 2000. The average rate recovery tagged rock lobsters was 15.7% per fishing season. Only 0.48% 43 885 recaptured moved >10 km, 0.31% southwards and 0.17% northwards. mean distance by those 28.6 km time at liberty 241.8 days. In recent years, densities J. have increased substantially...
Unconsolidated marine sediment habitats spatially make up the majority of global ocean seabed, yet benthic faunal patterns and their abiotic drivers remain poorly understood. Benthic research in Algoa Bay, on south coast South Africa, has largely focused rocky reefs, while dominant unconsolidated have been studied. This study describes epibenthic assemblages associated with at between 30 100 m depth, investigates relationship biotic physical drivers. Epibenthic abundance data were quantified...
Fine-scale maps of fishing activity are valuable information layers for fisheries management, assessments biodiversity impacts and marine spatial planning. Our aim was to develop an accurate map demersal trawling intensity in South Africa demonstrate its utility at a national scale. We calculated swept area ratio, representing effort the entire study period (2005‒2018) annually. then plotted temporal patterns activity, identified core areas, examined overlap between trawling, Africa's...