Common Name
Yellowtail Amberjack
Scientific Name
Seriola lalandi
The ABALOBI Struisbaai Traditional Linefish Community-level Fishery Improvement Project is based in the small-scale fishing community of Struisbaai on South Africa’s south coast. The community is home to a small, but vital traditional line fishery, that targets, amongst other species, Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) for commercial and subsistence purposes.
Yellowtail stock structure has not been investigated in detail around South Africa, but research conducted in other areas suggests that localized structure may exist. For the present we assume a single stock exists off the coast of South Africa. Annual catch averages ~200 tonnes (t) by Struisbaai Traditional Linefish vessels, 481 t for all of South African line fishery from 2015-2017 (landings vary by as much as 540 t each year).
Fishing is conducted using traditional handline methods from small craft. As of April 2020, the fleet includes 12 “chukkies”, of which 9 are currently operational, and 1 “ski boat.” Chukkies are traditional wooden deck fishing boats with inboard diesel engines (vessel length 7.5 m to 9.8 m, crew of 7 to 10). Ski boats are commercial planing-hull or displacement-hull boats with twin outboard engines (vessel length 6 m to 8.3 m, crew of 6 to 11 people).
Vessels are privately owned, belonging to skippers, who have recently agreed to participate the establishment of an association, provisionally named the Struisbaai Traditional Linefishers Association (STLFA).
Key stakeholders in the FIP include skippers, crew, post-harvest quality control workers, fish cleaners, logistics workers, and local shore harvesters.
| 4% | 7% | 25% | 64% |
| 100% |
| 0% |
| Behind | On Track | Complete | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
The ABALOBI Community-level Fishery Improvement Project in the Struisbaai traditional Yellowtail line fishery in South Africa, is based on a triple-bottom-line assessment covering social, environmental, and financial risk assessments of the Struisbaai traditional Yellowtail line fishery. Environmental objectives are as follows:
By December 2025, the FIP will address the following environmental objectives:
1. Collect data to evaluate impacts on non-target species:
2. Develop a harvest strategy that is equitable with respect to the needs of different user groups and that sustainably manages their collective impact on target fish stocks:
3. Establish and strengthen the Struisbaai Traditional Linefishers' Association: