Sharks caught in the protective gill nets off Natal,South Africa. 6. The copper shark Carcharhinus brachyurus (Günther)

Between 1978 and 1990,1 800 copper sharks Carcharhinus brachyurus were caught in the shark nets that protect the swimming beaches of Natal. The species constituted 9,6 per cent of the total shark catch. Annual catches and catch rates fluctuated widely about a mean of 138 sharks and 3,5 sharks·km net^?1 respectively. Most sharks were caught at the southern beaches during the annual Natal sardine run in June and July, when shoals of pilchard Sardinops ocellatus move into the waters off southern Natal. Catches were dominated by sharks >140 cm pre-caudal length PCL. Mature males (generally ≥ 175 cm PCL) were present for much of the year, but mature females (generally ≥ 190 cm) and immature sharks were only abundant in June and July. Gonad indices in males were highest in March and April, whereas high gonad indices and large ova were recorded in females in June and July. Mating appears to take place after July and parturition about 12 months later, both occur south of the netted region. The smallest of 50 pregnant females caught was 178 cm. Mean embryo length within a litter ranged from 17 to 54 cm. Teleosts were found in 92 per cent and pilchard in 84 per cent of stomachs containing food.     

Sharks caught in the protective gill nets off Kwazulu-Natal,South Africa. 9. The spinner shark Carcharhinvs brevipinna (Müller and Henle)

A total of 2 728 spinner sharks Carcharhinus brevipinna was caught in nets that protect the swimming beaches of KwaZulu-Natal between 1978 and 1997. The species constituted 10.3% of the total shark catch during that period. An average of 136 spinner sharks was caught annually, with no trend in catch rate over the study period. The species was caught throughout the year, predominantly in the south and mainly from February to July. Males matured at approximately 150 cm precaudal length and females at 154 cm. Gonad indices in mature males were highest during December and January and in females during February and March. Mating takes place between January and March. The hepatosomic index of pregnant females was highest at the onset of pregnancy and lowest at parturition. Evidence suggests a two-year reproductive cycle in females, with a gestation period of 13–18 months. The average litter size was nine, with an estimated length at birth of between 50 and 60 cm. Near-term pregnant females were caught mainly in the north, indicating the possibility of a nursery there. Both large and small pregnant females produce pups of the same length, but larger females general1y have larger litters. Regional, seasonal and size variations were evident in the diet, with teleosts being the most frequently eaten prey.     

Sharks caught in the protective gill nets off Natal,South Africa. 5. The Java shark Carcharhinus amboinensis (müller & Henle)

Between 1978 and 1990, 209 Java sharks Carcharhinus amboinensis were caught in the shark nets that protect the swimming beaches of Natal, thereby constituting 0,5 per cent of the total shark catch. The catch rate was relatively constant at about 0,4 sharks·km net^?1·year^?1. Catches were highest at the northernmost beaches in summer and autumn and they consisted mostly of juvenile, but not newborn, and adolescent sharks. Specimens ranged from 99 to 176 cm PCL, with a mode of 131–135 cm for males and 131–145 cm for females. Males matured at 150 cm and females at 160 cm. Of the eight mature females caught, five were pregnant. Mating takes place in late summer and gestation is thought to last approximately 12 months. The largest embryo found was 53 cm. Teleosts were identified in 62,1 per cent of the 103 stomachs that contained food. Elasmobranchs (44,7%), crustaceans (12,6%) and cephalopods (11,6%) were the other major prey groups. Most of the fish prey were demersal, associated with soft bottoms.     

Impact of protective shark nets on sea turtles in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa, 1981–2008

Shark nets were established along the KwaZulu-Natal coast in 1952 to protect bathers against shark encounters. Sea turtle bycatch data for the period 1981–2008 in these shark nets indicated that loggerheads Caretta caretta were caught most frequently at 40.9 y^–1 or 1.11 km-net^–1 y^–1, followed by green turtles Chelonia mydas at 0.32 km-net^–1 y^–1 and leatherbacks Dermochelys coriacea at 0.14 km-net^–1 y^–1. Catch rate of loggerheads increased throughout the study period, and was positively correlated with the increase in the number of nesting females from the recovering population in Maputaland, South Africa (r = 0.52, p < 0.05, n = 28). This increase is ascribed to successful nest conservation. Leatherback bycatch remained stable, following their nesting trends, although they receive similar conservation efforts on nesting beaches as loggerheads. Bycatch of green turtles, although not a nesting species in South Africa, was stable over time. Mortality varied between species (from 53.2% to 70.6%) with loggerheads being the most hardy, followed by leatherbacks and green turtles. Few hawksbills Eretmochelys imbricata and olive ridleys Lepidochelys olivacea were caught in the shark nets. Fewer sea turtles are caught by shark nets than by longlines and because the nesting populations of loggerheads, green turtles and leatherbacks are either stable or increasing in the South-West Indian Ocean, shark net bycatch was considered negligible and sustainable.     

Distribution and seasonal abundance of large cetaceans in the Durban whaling grounds off KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa, 1972–1975

Daily charts of the aerial search effort (432 206 nautical miles) of the Union Whaling Company and 1 099 sightings of 10 497 whales were available from 628 flights off Durban between 1972 and 1975. Densities of whales were analysed by month and water depth distribution over the four-year period. Low observed densities of blue Balaenoptera musculus, right Eubalaena australis, sei B. borealis and humpback Megaptera novaeangliae whales most likely resulted from earlier whaling pressure. Seasonality of blue, sei and humpback whales was bimodal, indicative of winter migrations to the north of the Durban whaling grounds, whereas the unimodal seasonality of fin whales B. physalus and minke whales B. bonaerensis or B. acutorostrata suggest the offshore region as the northern terminus of their migrations. Sperm whales Physeter macrocephalus migrate northwards offshore of the KwaZulu-Natal coast in autumn/early winter and southwards in late winter/spring, with larger males migrating later than the smaller males and females. Killer whale Orcinus orca presence was coincident with that of offshore minke whales and the southward migrations of other baleen whales, whereas densities of animals deemed as bottlenose whale Hyperoodon planifrons suggest strong early and late summer seasonal abundance in the offshore region. Such extensive surveys offshore of the KwaZulu-Natal coast are unlikely to be repeated; hence, data-extraction of whaling records provides a valuable source of seasonal and distributional information for marine management.     

Reproductive system and the spermatophoric reaction of the mesopelagic squid Octopoteuthis sicula (Rüppell 1844) (Cephalopoda: Octopoteuthidae) from southern African waters

Reproductive features of the poorly known oceanic squid Octopoteuthis sicula are described and quantified to gain insight into the reproductive biology of the species. The data are based on 39 complete and partial specimens from southern African waters, collected between 1975 and 2005. The specimens ranged in mantle length from 38 mm to 290 mm and included juveniles and mature females and males. The species shows female-biased sexual size dimorphism. Ovulation is asynchronous, indicating a repeated spawning strategy. Males transfer spermatophores presumably by using their long terminal organ. Spermatangia (discharged spermatophores) were found implanted in several parts of the body in both females and males, including in the anterior dorsal and ventral rugose, semi-gelatinous mantle tissue of maturing and mature females. This modified mantle tissue was only well developed in females. The morphologies of the spermatophore and the spermatangium of O. sicula are described. The spermatophoric reaction is reconstructed, using various stages of discharge, to provide insight into the process of intradermal implantation of spermatangia of this species.     

Spawning hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae Hector) concentrations in Cook Strait and off the east coast of the South Island,New Zealand,August‐September 1987

Abstract

In September 1986, dense concentrations of freshly spawned hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) eggs were located in eastern Cook Strait. A follow‐up exploratory trawl survey of Cook Strait and the east coast of the South Island, in August and September 1987, located concentrations of spawning hoki in canyon features in Cook Strait, off the Kaikoura coast, and off Banks Peninsula. The largest concentration, 14 km long, 4 km wide, and up to 150 m thick occurred in Cook Strait Canyon, with catch rates of hoki up to 48 t h^?1. Gonad conditions of male and female hoki showed they were actively spawning. Catch rates in Cook Strait Canyon were comparable to the main fishery on the west coast of the South Island but were much lower off Kaikoura and Banks Peninsula. Hoki associated with spawning concentrations were not feeding. Bycatch species were mostly ling (Genypterus blacodes) and spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), and both were preying on hoki. Spiny dogfish were also feeding on spawned fish eggs. The possible stock structure of hoki is discussed.     

Morphological and molecular evidence supports the first occurrence of two fishes,Siganus sutor(Valenciennes, 1835)and Seriolina nigrofasciata(Rüppell, 1829)(Actinopterygii:Perciformes), from marine waters of Odisha coast,Bay of Bengal,India

Marine ecosystems provide a wide variety of diverse habitats that frequently promote migration and ecological adaptation. The extent to which the geographic distribution of marine organism has reshaped by human activities remains underappreciated. The limitations intrinsic to morphology-based identification systems have engendered an urgent need for reliable genetic methods that enable the unequivocal recognition of fish species,particularly those that are prone to overexploitation and/or market substitution. In the present study, however, an attempt has been taken to identify two locally adapted fish species, Siganus sutor(Valenciennes, 1835) and Seriolina nigrofasciata(Rüppell, 1829) of order Perciformes, which happens to be the first record in Odisha coast,Bay of Bengal. The diagnostic characteristics of Siganus sutor are: dorsal fin XIII-10, anal fin VII-9, pectoral fin 15,pelvic fin II-3, while that of Seriolina nigrofasciata dorsal fin VI-I-35, anal fin I-17, pectoral fin 16, pelvic fin 5. All COI barcodes generated in this study were matched with reference sequences of expected species, according to morphological identification. Bayesian and likelihood phylogenetic trees were drawn based on DNA barcodes and all the specimens clustered in agreement with their taxonomic classification at the species level. The phylogeographic studies based on haplotype network and migration rates suggest that both the species were not panmitic and the high-frequency population distribution indicates successful migration. The result of this study provides an important validation of the use of DNA barcode sequences for monitoring species diversity and changes within a complex marine ecosystem.     

The dynamics of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) off Amrum in the south-eastern North Sea — evidence of an open population

Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) have been extinct in the south-eastern North Sea for centuries. Only in recent decades have they re-established a few colonies, the first of which was located on a group of sand bars off the German island of Amrum. Based on frequent counts from aircraft and boats in 1976–2000, and a photo-identification program in 1997, we investigated seasonal dynamics, trends in abundance, pup production, and pup survival in this population. Numbers of hauled-out seals were highest in spring, with a peak of 70–100 in late March or early April, and usually lower than 40 from late May to late January, including the winter breeding season. Both spring and summer counts indicated an average increase of 4–5% per year. Annual pup production was 3–10 in 1988–1995 and 9–13 in 1996–1999, suggesting a breeding stock of only about half the minimum total population size, i.e. 137 individually recognised seals in 1997. The estimated survival of pups until weaning seemed high enough to support autochthonous increase, and hence suggested a self-sustaining breeding stock at least until the late 1990s. Pup survival declined, however, from 95–100% in 1988–1991 to 60–70% in 1992–1999, probably due to erosion of the sand bars. From (i) the relative excess of hauled-out seals in spring, as compared to the phenology of stocks in the western North Sea, (ii) turnover and net loss of individuals during the spring and summer of 1997, as indicated by photo-ID records, and (iii) the low apparent per capita birth rate, we suggest that grey seals off Amrum split into a resident breeding stock and a similar or higher number of seals immigrating outside the breeding season. The latter may originate from larger colonies in the southern and western North Sea, and return there for breeding. In the future, grey seals currently breeding off Amrum may eventually leave the area because of deteriorating conditions. However, a decline of numbers occurring in spring and summer would not necessarily be expected, because seasonal influx from increasing stocks elsewhere in the North Sea is likely to continue.     

Diets of alpine galaxias (Galaxias paucispondylus Stokell) and longjawed galaxias (G. prognathus Stokell) in a South Island,New Zealand,high‐country stream

Thedietsofthealpinegalaxias(Galaxias paucispondylus Stokell, 1938) and the longjawed galaxias (G. prognathus Stokell, 1940) were studied in Deep Creek, a high‐country stream in the central South Island of New Zealand. Both species are small, slender fish with entirely freshwater life cycles. Their diets were very similar and consisted of aquatic invertebrates, dominated by the larvae of Deleatidium spp. (Ephemeroptera), Hydrobiosis spp. (Trichoptera), and Chironomidae (Diptera). Although diets partly reflected what was available in the stream, both fish selected soft‐bodied prey in preference to cased or harder shelled prey. Both species are probably nocturnal feeders.     

Seasonal dynamics of the density of the crab larvae (Decapoda: Brachyura et Anomura) in Minonosok Bay of Pos’eta Bay (Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan)

As the materials for this project, we used data on the distribution of the larvae of the Asian paddle crab Charybdis japonicus (A. Milne-Edwards, 1861); the spider crabs Hyas coarctatus ursinus (=Hyas ursinus) (Rathbun, 1924), Pugettia quadridens (de Haan, 1839), and Pisoides bidentatus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1873); the samurai crab Paradorippe granulata (=Dorippe granulata) (de Haan, 1841); the pea crab Pinnixa rathbuni (Sakai, 1934); and the porcelain crab Pachycheles stevensii (Stimpson, 1858) in Minonosok Bay of Pos’eta Bay obtained during 2000–2002 and in 2004. The planktonic samples were collected from the last third of May to September. The greatest density of the larvae was observed in May, mid-June, late June-early July, and late July-early August. The greatest densities of the crab larvae and the decapod larvae ranged from 20.4 to 48.2 and from 88.4 to 245.3 specimens/m³. The schedule of the crab larvae’s occurrence in the plankton is provided for the first time. The distribution of the density showed pronounced patchiness.     

Preliminary evaluation of the toxic effects of the antifouling biocide Sea-Nine 211™ in the soft coral Sarcophyton cf. glaucum (Octocorallia,Alcyonacea) based on PAM fluorometry and biomarkers

Sea-Nine 211™ is a new biocide specifically formulated for antifouling paints and being considered to have a low environmental impact. Even with a short environmental half-life, this compound can cause toxic effects on marine organisms. This study used PAM fluorometry and biomarkers of oxidative stress (GST, CAT and LPO) to monitor potential toxic effects of Sea-Nine 211™ on fragments of the soft coral Sarcophyton cf. glaucum. After exposure to concentrations of 1–100 μg l⁻¹ for 72 h, CAT activity was inhibited under the two highest concentrations, being in accordance with the activity of GST. LPO activity (as TBARS) and photosynthetic efficiency of endosymbiotic zooxanthellae were not significantly affected. These results show that PAM fluorometry alone cannot detect the full effects of Sea-Nine 211™ on Sarcophyton cf. glaucum and should be used together with other biomarkers. This holobiont driven approach to evaluate chemical toxicity in photosynthetic corals is therefore recommended for biocides which are not photosystem II inhibitors.