STOCK STRUCTURE OF SNOEK THYRSITES ATUN IN THE BENGUELA: A NEW HYPOTHESIS

Abstract

It has long been accepted that snoek Thyrsites atun in the Benguela system constitute a single stock that undergoes seasonal longshore migration in waters between southern Angola and the west coast of South Africa. Based on a review of past literature and evaluation of new data, it is contended that Benguela snoek exist rather as two separate sub-populations – divided by the upwelling cell in southern Namibia – with limited, medium-term exchange (c. 5 years), driven mainly by temperature and food availability.