The effects of future consumption by the Cape fur seal on catches and catch rates of the Cape hakes. 2. Feeding and diet of the Cape fur seal<i>Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus</i>

Abstract

The diet composition of the Cape fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus off the west coast of South Africa was determined using the volumetric method from samples collected at sea between 1984 and 1990. Data were stratified spatially and temporally and an attempt was made to exclude from the analysis seals which probably scavenged from trawlers. Teleost fish made up the bulk of the diet, but cephalopods were also important. The results for individual strata were highly variable, but they suggest that young Mercluccius capensis contributed some 5–30% of the diet, whereas the fraction of M. paradoxus in the diet was roughly 0–30%. However, if seals feed predominantly inshore and during the day, then the hake p0l1ion of the diet would consist almost exclusively of the inshore M. capensis.