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.