State of the Bay Report 2011-Final.pdf - Anchor Environmental

State of Saldanha Bay & Langebaan Lagoon 2011
Fish
oceanographic conditions are the norm rather than the exception (see for e.g. Clark 1994). In the
earlier surveys (1994-2008), average species richness and abundance (all species combined) was
highest in Small Bay and lowest in Big Bay (Figure 9.2, Figure 9.3). Although this pattern still holds for
abundance in the 2011 survey (this was however, the result of very large harder catches in Small
Bay), this was not the case for diversity with more species captured in Big Bay during the past two
annual sampling events. This is simply an indication of the high variability in surf zone fish densities
that will be recorded when shoaling species are part of the fish assemblage rather than an indication
in fundamental changes in the fish communities.
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