Establishing a baseline for evaluating changes in fish body condition and population dynamics of Cape hake (Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus) in South Africa

Includes bibliographical references.Standard weight (Ws) equations were developed and relative weight (Wr) indices calculated for both shallow-water (Merluccius capensis) and deep-water (M . paradoxus) Cape hake. The aim was to provide fixed baselines and Wr indices to aid understanding of temporal and spatial variability in fish condition . Baselines were calculated using the empirical percentiles (EmP) method applied to length (L) – weight (W) data collected by research surveys on the South African west and south coasts, from 1983 to 2013 . Four quadratic Ws equations for each species were generated, based on the following weight statistics for each size class j : first quartile, median, third quartile and mean. Median Ws equations were chosen for the baseline for shallow-water hake (log₁₀ Ws=-2.491 + 3.33 8 *(log₁₀ L)-0.065 *(log₁₀ Lj)²) and deep-water hake (log₁₀ Ws =- 2.161 + 2.930*(log₁₀ L) + 0.0456 *(log 10Lj)²). Shallow-water hake was found to be the heavier of the two species at the same length. Wr indices display good condition values (>100%) for both species throughout all analyses . Fish condition for both species was best between 1988-2009, ranging from 50-1 65% for individual fish and 100 – 109% for annual averages. Monthly mean Wr indices peaked in June and October for shallow-water hake and July and October for deep-water hake. Mean Wr values were different for shallow-water hake on the south (105%) and west (103%) coasts. Deep-water hake showed no spatial variability in mean Wr values. There were no differences between mean Wr values of males and females between, and within, species. Future hake data may be compared to these Ws equation baselines and Wr indices to show changes in body condition for this commercially important stock