Fish trapping during the operation of the Durban harbour graving dock, South Africa

Summary The species composition and abundance of fishes trapped on the grids covering the drainage outlets in the Durban harbour graving dock were investigated over a 12 month period. Fifty-three species of fish and several invertebrates, including the crabs Scyllaserrata and Portunus pelagicus, prawns Penaeus spp. and crayfish Palinurus spp., were caught on the grids. Shoaling fishes of the families Clupeidae and Mugilidae were numerically dominant with Haemulidae, Sparidae and Monodactylidae other major components. The economic value of the captured fishes to dockyard workers and possible mechanisms to reduce catches are discussed.