Pelagic Fish Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 078, November 1989

The Pelagic Fish Biomass Survey was conducted on the Africana Voyage 078 from 7 - 30 November 1989. The objectives of the cruise were to conduct an estimation of the biomass and population structure of anchovy, pilchard and round herring off South Africa by means of echo-integration and midwater trawling; to conduct an estimation of anchovy biomass by means of the egg production method; to describe the distribution and behaviour patterns of commercially harvested epi-pelagic and meso-pelagic fish, and the influence of oceanographic variables on these; to collect biological data on reproduction, condition and diet of pelagic fish species; to conduct an examination of the distribution, abundance and production of zooplankton in relation to the environment and to pelagic fish distribution, condition, diet and spawning activity; and lastly to conduct a profiling of currents by means of the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP).