# Occurrence of larval fishes sampled by drifting light traps in the lower reaches of a South African estuary

## TL;DR

This study examines how drifting light traps capture larval fish in a South African estuary, revealing differences in species caught during flood and ebb tides.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that drifting light traps provide distinct insights into larval fish communities compared to traditional net methods.

## Key findings

- Blenniidae and Clupeidae were the most dominant families in the light trap catches.
- Marine and estuarine species were more common during flood tides, while marine stragglers dominated during ebb tides.
- Light traps captured species with phototactic behavior and reduced incidental catch compared to nets.

## Abstract

The tidal occurrence of larval fishes was investigated in the permanently open Kowie Estuary on the warm-temperate coast of South Africa. Larval fishes were sampled in the mouth region using two drifting light traps deployed on the ebb and flood tides every second night for two consecutive 14-day periods, coinciding with the dark moon phase. A total of 553 larval fishes were caught, representing nine families and 26 species, of which Blenniidae and Clupeidae dominated. The prevalence of different estuarine association fish guilds was also tide-specific. Marine and estuarine species, such as Omobranchus woodi, were more dominant during flood tides, while marine straggler species, such as Sardinops sagax, which are not dependent on estuaries, were dominant on the ebb tide. Marine estuarine-dependents were only present during flood tides, potentially indicating ingress and entrainment within the estuary. The results confirm that light trap catches yield a different composition of species compared to towed ichthyoplankton net studies. Additionally, drifting light traps allow for better targeting of species with a phototactic response and reduction of incidental catch. Consequently, a mixture of gear is encouraged for more comprehensive surveys of larval fish occurrence.