West Coast Hake Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 088, January 1991

The West Coast Hake Biomass Survey was conducted on the Africana Voyage 088 from 07-29 January 1991. The objectives of the cruise were to survey by means of bottom trawling the abundance of hake and other demersal species on the West Coast of South Africa; to investigate the environmental and ecological interrelationships of hake and other demersal species; to investigate the possible recovery of the stocks of West Coast Sole; to study the biology of chondrichthyan species; to collect material for the electrophoretic comparison of the southern African kingklip, Genypterus capensis, with the Australian G. blacodes and G. microstomus and the South American G. blacodes and G. chilensis; to investigate zooplankton scattering layers and their influence on the feeding behaviour and distribution of small hake; training of Oceanographic Research Assistants; to investigate the feasibility of using carbon and nitrogen isotopes for tracing hake diet; to obtain coverage of chlorophyll-fluorescence distribution at the sea surface as part of an ongoing monitoring program; to investigate aspects of the feeding, dynamics and reproduction of zooplankton; and lastly to obtain information on the hydrology and currents of the West Coast.