Horse Mackerel

The southern African subspecies of horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus capensis) is found along the entire South African coast, but the largest concentrations of adult fish are found on the Agulhas Bank, near the continental shelf break. Juveniles occur inshore, mainly on the west coast, where they are caught by the purse-seine fishery during the first quarter of the year.

The South African horse mackerel stock is comparatively small by world standards. The status of the South African stock is still being assessed. For this reason, the horse mackerel fishery is managed in terms of a precautionary maximum catch limit ("PMCL"). The PMCL has fluctuated between 22 000 and 54 000 tons since 1990.

It is important to note that the Cape horse mackerel is highly nomadic. Local availability is variable and dependent on environmental conditions. The horse mackerel resource is harvested mainly by targeted mid-water trawling but there are substantial targeted and incidental catches in the hake-directed bottom trawl fishery. In addition, juvenile horse mackerel is taken as a by-catch in the purse-seine fishery on the west coast. While generally low, the catch of juveniles by the purse-seine fishery has on occasion been substantial and is currently subject to a strict limit of 5 000 tons per annum.

Management of the horse mackerel resource in South African waters is hampered by a lack of data, particularly the lack of suitable time-series of abundance indices. The most reliable current abundance index is derived from the demersal trawl surveys using bottom trawl gear. However, as this resource is semi-pelagic, this index most likely underestimates the size of the resource. Consequently, the status and productivity of the resource is less well known relative to other South African resources such as hake, sardine and anchovy. The data on horse mackerel are inadequate because the primary research focus of monitoring surveys has been the assessment of established fisheries such as hake and sardine.

The majority of horse mackerel is caught by a single mid-water directed trawler. The majority of horse mackerel is transhipped and exported without landing or processing in South Africa. The fish is exported to West Africa, earning approximately R2.50 per kilogram.

Sector Facts (FOR SECTOR DETAILS PLEASE EMAIL FEIKE AT ssonday@feike.co.za)



Sector Challenges: Feike's analysis of the allocation of rights and policy objectives for this fishery indicates the following challenges:

• Landing larger quantities of horse mackerel in South Africa for processing and marketing to South African and African consumers;
• Preparing for performance measuring exercises;
• Consolidating a number of participants with weak performance histories;
• Increasing not only black ownership of the TAC through "internal transformation" but also focusing increasingly on the empowerment of staff, women and the communities in which right holders operate.

Sector Opportunities: Feike believes that the allocation of long-term rights will provide the horse mackerel fishery with the following opportunities:

• Consolidation of the number of right holders;
• Strategic co-management relationships with Marine and Coastal Management, particularly with respect to research and management;
• Strengthening of the Industry representative body, particularly to drive the agenda around performance measuring and EAF;
• With respect to the dedicated mid-water trawler, the opportunity must now firmly present itself to fast-track the South African registry of the vessel and the empowerment of South African personnel to crew the vessel;
• With respect to the remaining vessels (deep sea trawl fishing vessels with mid-water trawl gear), the landing of horse mackerel for processing and marketing in South Africa, thereby creating jobs in marginal coastal communities must now be a seriously committed to.