Tamzyn Zweig, South Africa's recreational shark fishery, understanding impacts and importance
Channel: African Campus
Date: 2013-06-13

Oral Presentation

South African Shark Conservancy (SASC), Hermanus, South Africa

Recreational fishing contributes approximately R18.8 billion per annum to the South African economy (SADSAA 2007). Comprised of organised and informal anglers, an estimated 897 000 sport fishers (SADSAA 2007) target a species complex similar to inshore commercial and subsistence fishers including bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus), soupfin (Galeorhinus galeus), dusky (C. obscurus), ragged-tooth (Carcharius taurus), and smoothhound (Mustelus mustelus) sharks. The economic contribution of catch-and-release elasmobranch fishing is unquantified. An estimated 3500 formal rock and surf anglers attend approximately 30 tournaments per year where they target and release elasmobranchs to accrue personal and team points. Evidence suggests that elasmobranchs suffer lethal and sub-lethal stresses due to recreational angling (Skomal 2007), although this has never been quantified within the South African context. Post-release mortality is thought to be species-specific and little is known about the cumulative effects associated with exposure to stressors such as fight time, exposure, gear type, hook location and handling (Skomal 2007).
This project therefore aims to quantify the socio-economic value of the fishery; improve recreational angler's behaviour and contribution to scientific research; analyse catch per unit effort fluctuations and changes in species composition over time; and determine species-specific metabolic and physiological responses to angling stressors.
An ongoing dedicated tagging programme has collected data pertinent to angling stress for 15 species of elasmobranchs comprised of 130 animals. A total of 600 elasmobranchs have been fitted with spaghetti tags. Six recaptures have been reported.
The Responsible Angling Clinic was developed to improve angler knowledge, behaviour and contribution to the national tagging programme. A pilot socio-economic and knowledge, behaviour and attitude survey was delivered to 150 anglers in 2012. The updated survey will be posted online and delivered onsite in 2013. The data will be used for improving fishery- and species-specific conservation and management objectives.