| FEEDING HABITS OF STEENBRAS ON THE NAMIBIAN COAST |
|
COMMON NAME: |
West Coast Steenbras, Seabream (Afr: Steenbras - Deutsch: Meerbrasse, Westküsten-Streifenbrasse, Weißfisch)
|
LATIN NAME: |
Lithognathus Aureti
|
DESCRIPTION: |
The body is mostly silvery with seven dark lines which fade with age. The head is grayish
silver while the chest and belly is white. There is a dark spot on the upper end of the
pectoral fin base.
|
DISTRIBUTION: |
Southeast Atlantic: Angola to South Africa.
Ranges from Angra Fria to Sandwich Harbour but is rare south of Namibia.
Forms great shoals from Walvis Bay northwards during spawning period (spring and summer)
|
HABITAT: |
Tropical; 13°S - 28°S - benthopelagic, marine.
Found inshore over sandy bottoms.
They are found on sandy bottoms from shore to 10m and juveniles are found in the surf zone.
This popular angling fish is only found from Angola south to the Cape.
The westcoast steenbras is especially common from Walvis Bay northwards from August onwards.
|
REPRODUCTION: |
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years
During spring and summer huge shoals of reproductively ripe fish congregate in shallow waters
and are especially vulnerable to exploitation at his time.
|
SEASONAL MOVEMENT: |
?
|
FEEDING / DIET: |
Feeds on sand mussels, worms, crabs, prawns, shrimps and other small invertebrates.
|
WEIGHT: |
Avg 13kg / published 19.3kg (SA Record: J.F.A.Muller - Namibia 1966 17.30kg)
|
MAX SIZE: |
100cm TL (avg 25-30cm).
|
DEPTH RANGE: |
1 metre.
|
CAPTURE: |
October to March - day and night (see Best time to catch Steenbras).
|
ROD: |
11ft - 14ft (14ft with stiff tip is recommended).
|
LINE: |
20kg line is recommended.
|
HOOK: |
No 3/0 to 6/0 hooks.
|
BAIT: |
Mussel, Crabs, prawn and pilchard.
|
WHERE: |
Mainly caught by shore angling and ski-boats.
It often feeds in shallow turbulent water no more than 15m from the shore scouring the bottom for food.
Steenbras especially like to feed over sandy gullies in the shallow surf zone.
|
WHEN: |
?
|
WEATHER: |
?
|
TIDES: |
The biggest spring tides falling twice each monthly cycle always provide the best of the
action. Try to fish hardest on the tides rising towards the peak spring.
|
CAST: |
Cast into shallow turbulent water no more than 15m from the shore and make sure
your bait is hanging on the ground.
|
HOW: |
Allow plenty of time for the hook to be set and take your time to reel it in gently.
Use the wave action to reel the fish in and do not attempt to lift it out of the water.
|
NOTES: |
Good fighter.
|
REGULATIONS: |
RECREATIONAL FISHING REGULATIONS FOR STEENBRAS:
Bag Limit:
|
10 pphpd (total combined bag limit of Kabeljou, Steenbras, Dassie, or Galjoen is 10 fish).
|
Min size : |
40 cm TL (heavy fines for undersized fish)
|
Max size : |
65 cm TL (no more than 2 steenbras longer than 65cm).
|
Transportation: |
Fish must be transported in its whole state. You may however gut the fish.
You may transport no more than 30 fish (Kabeljou, Steenbras, Dassie, or Galjoen of which you may only have 8 Galjoen
and no more than 10 of a species).
|
Closed season: |
None (Paalties may be closed in the near future).
|
Rod & Hooks: |
No more than one fishing rod or hand line per permit holder and no more than 2 hooks per line.
See the regulations on line fishing at the
Ministry of Fisheries.
|
Spear fishing: |
By snorkel only.
|
Permits: |
Fishing permits cost N$14 for one month or N$168 per year.
|
MAX FINES: |
N$100 for each steenbras above bag limit (more than 10).
N$100 for each steenbras under size (less than 40cm).
N$200 for each steenbras over size (you may only harvest 2 bigger than 65cm).
N$300 for fishing with more than one rod and/or hand line and/or 2 hooks.
N$300 for not holding or not being able to produce a fishing permit within 21 days.
Refer to the Government Gazette document for latest Marine Regulations (pdf).
|
NOTE: pphpd = per permit holder per day.
|
