A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF THE ESTUARIES ON THE SOUTH COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA, CAPE AGULHAS—CAPE ST BLAIZE, MOSSEL BAY, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE FISH FAUNA

SUMMARY

The estuaries on the south coast of South Africa from Cape Agulhas to Cape St Blaize were surveyed during the period September/October 1994. The ichthyofaunal and physico-chemical characteristics of each system are presented and their suitability as estuarine nursery areas is discussed. Eight systems drain this area and, apart from a small coastal stream which does not serve any estuarine nursery function, range from estuaries which are permanently open with a strong marine influence to small estuaries which occasionally open to the sea. All these systems are dominated by estuarine and estuarine-dependent marine species and thus serve as important nursery areas. Dominant estuarine species included Caffrogobius multifasciatus, Gilchristella aestuaria and Psammogobius knysnaensis while the dominant estuarine-dependent marine taxa were Argyrosomus japonicus, Galeichthys feliceps, Lithognathus lithognatus, Liza dumer-ilii, Liza richardsonii, Liza tricuspidens and Mugil cephalus.