Mysticetes, or baleen whales, make up one of two sub-orders of the Order Cetacea within the Class Mammalia (Drikamer et al, 2013). It contains three families, each characterized by baleen plates (Drikamer et al, 2013). These baleen plates consist of keratin that replaced the tooth structures for feeding in these mammals (Drikamer et al, 2013). Other biological characteristics of these animals include paired external nares (blowholes), a sternum consisting of a single bone, symmetrical skull and the most conspicuous of all, the body length of between ten to thirty metres (Drikamer et al, 2013). It is thought that the size characteristic was probably the main factor when categorising them as cetaceans, with the Latin word ‘Cetus’ referring to ‘sea monster’ (Carnaby, 2006). In this literature review, the focus will fall on two species of mysticetes from separate families, namely that of the southern right whale, Eubalaena australis of the Balaenidae family, and the humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae of the Balaenopteridae family. Emphasis in this review will fall on the aspect of site fidelity of the mother-calf pairs.

This study investigated the potential impacts of several anthropogenic stressors on the movement and survival of African penguins in Algoa Bay, taking into account prey availability and environmental conditions (sea surface temperature and chlorophyll productivity). The primary drive for the study was based on the seismic exploration, which took place in the habitat of the endangered African penguin. The research was also carried out to understand how pelagic fishing and prey availability influence the broader behavioural and mortality aspects of penguins. To achieve this goal, I used monthly beach surveys to assess seabird mortality, admissions of penguins in rehabilitation centres and the monitoring of breeding penguins’ movement at sea through individual GPS tracking. In addition, prey distribution and abundance were monitored with acoustic surveys to assess potential changes in relation anthropogenic stressors. Breeding African penguins did not react dramatically to seismic activities, except on St Croix Island where they changed their foraging direction during the seismic period. There was no evidence of a siginficant increase in African penguin carcasses encountered or strandings along the beaches during the period of seismic activity. However, a sharp increase in encounter rate was recorded soon after seismic operations, which may potentially indicate a delay between the effect of seismic activities on penguin mortality and the encounter of the related carcasses after the operation. However, the impact of seismic surveys on penguins may be long-term rather than short term, and additional studies would be needed to reveal long-term effects of seismic activities, if any. Foraging effort of breeding African penguins increased substantially in the presence of commercial fishing activities within close proximity to the colonies. To a greater extent, at-sea movement patterns and counts of beach cast carcasses were largely influenced by prey availability. Penguins spent more time at sea, traveled longer and covered a larger foraging area during periods of relatvely low pelagic fish abundance. There was also a sharp increase in African penguin mortality during periods of low prey availability in the Bay. However, environmental conditions showed some influence over these interactions. Foraging effort of breeding African penguins increased substantially in the presence of commercial fishing activities within close proximity to the colonies. To a greater extent, at-sea movement patterns and counts of beach cast carcasses were largely influenced by prey availability. Penguins spent more time at sea, traveled longer and covered a larger foraging area during periods of relatvely low pelagic fish abundance. There was also a sharp increase in African penguin mortality during periods of low prey availability in the Bay. However, environmental conditions showed some influence over these interactions. For example a red tide event during in period of low prey availability, made it difficult to understand impacts of prey on penguins difficult. Both anthropogenic stressors and environmental conditions influenced African penguins’ behaviour and survival. Due to the worrying trend of African penguins in South Africa for the past few years, all conservation management efforts to increase penguin numbers and limit their mortality are necessary. This study highlights the negative impact of industrial fishing on this Endangered species and the rapid increase in mortality of penguins during times of low prey availability. A network of Marine Protected Areas would certainly increase food availability to African penguins by limiting competition with fisheries, and contribute to increasing the population numbers.

The Cape gannet has undergone considerable population change and redistribution over the past 50 years. This has been linked to shifts in the abundance and distribution of their dominant prey, sardine and anchovy. Five breeding colonies, along the west coast of Southern Africa, have shown rapid population declines as a result of reduced prey availability. In contrast, a single colony (Bird Island, Algoa Bay) on the south coast of South Africa has, over the same period, grown fivefold and now supports approximately two thirds of the total population. Due to its conservation importance, and isolation from other breeding localities, it is important to assess the health of the Bird Island colony, and determine how foraging distribution relates to the environment to evaluate current measures of protection. This was achieved through two related studies; a long-term dietary analysis spanning 34 years, and a spatial foraging study, which related three years of tracking data to estimates of prey availability, oceanographic features and marine protected areas (MPAs). The results of the dietary study showed that the dietary constituents of Cape gannets breeding at Bird Island have remained similar over the last three decades, but the importance of sardine and anchovy has increased significantly. For sardine, in particular, this reflects an increased availability of this species (as deduced from hydroacoustic surveys) within the foraging range of the Bird Island colony. The dietary abundance of anchovy was found to be negatively correlated with that of sardine. Surprisingly,.the dietary abundance of anchovy was also negatively correlated with estimates of its availability based on acoustic surveys. The latter is likely to be due to sardine being a preferred prey item. Recent decreases in the dietary contribution of sardine (since 2005) suggest that this species is becoming less available to gannets, with profound implications in terms of nutrient gain associated with foraging. However, this has been mediated by an increase in the dietary contribution of anchovy, which now accounts for the vast majority of prey taken. Spatially, the foraging range of the Bird Island colony expanded during the three years of study, indicating an increase in effort. This increase was likely in an effort to track a distributional change of sardine and anchovy, which showed an apparent westward shift during the study period. There was, however, no evidence of birds tracking features associated with high productivity. This may have been partly due to anomalously warm conditions during the summer of 2012/2013, in which an absence of coastal upwelling prevented surface cooling. Nonetheless, low sea surface temperatures and high chlorophyll a concentrations do not seem to be reliable indicators of important Cape gannet foragingareas. Foraging effort was largely concentrated outside of MPAs, indicating that the current MPA network provides little protection for foraging gannets. This could change with the additional protection of the proposed Greater Addo Elephant National Park MPA expansion, as prey species are allowed to recover following the removal of fishing pressure. Overall, the colony appears to be in good condition as the diet is still dominated by live prey items, and the foraging range remains smaller than many of the colonies along the west coast. However, it is important that monitoring be continued, in particular with respect to changes in the availability of sardine and anchovy. Long-term shifts of these species out of the colony‘s foraging range could negatively influence the population in the future. This might be worsened by interspecific competition for prey resources. Considering the conservation importance of this population, maintenance of healthy prey stocks within the home range of breeding Cape gannets should be prioritised in order to prevent declines similar to those observed at west coast colonies.

For several decades now, seabirds have been considered to be useful indicators of the state of their prey resources because of how they reflect lower-level trophic variability through proxies such as diet or behaviour. However, collection of appropriate data is often challenging in the marine environment because of logistical or financial constraints. In this study, time-activity budgets were studied in the Cape gannet (Morus capensis), a seabird which has been advocated as a potential bioindicator for local epipelagic prey. VHF transmitters attached to PVC leg-rings were fitted to 50 adult breeding pairs during the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 breeding seasons at Bird Island, Algoa Bay, to determine whether an automated method of continuously collecting time-activity budget data can replace conventional laborious direct observations. To validate that the foraging trip duration data generated from the automated method was a reflection of foraging effort, Time-Depth Recorders (TDRs) were simultaneously equipped to birds with VHF transmitters for three weeks. In order to assess the influence of factors other than prey availability on parent time-activity budgets, sex, chick age and body condition were measured. Additionally, chick growth and survival were recorded in order to investigate the gender-specific effects of parental time-activity budget variability on these parameters. Attachment of VHF transmitters to leg-rings of adult Cape gannets had no observable negative effects on the adults or their chicks in terms of adult body condition, nest attendance and foraging trip durations, or chick growth and survival. Furthermore, the frequency distribution of behaviour bout (foraging trip and nest attendance) durations was no different between automated and directly observed data. However, the automated method did record shorter behaviour bouts, largely attributed to the increased likelihood of direct observations missing birds returning briefly to their nests during older chick provisioning. Additionally, foraging trip duration was highly correlated to foraging effort in terms of time spent resting on the sea surface, flying and diving. The automated method therefore appears to be a good reflection of direct nest attendance observations and foraging effort. Cape gannet time-activity budgets were related to chick age and parental sex. Especially as chicks neared fledging, females spent significantly longer periods of time foraging than males, with males consequently provisioning their chicks more often. Furthermore, adults departing their nests earlier spent more time away from the nest foraging as more same-day daylight hours were available. Chick growth was a function of parent foraging trip duration and associated prey delivery rates. Chick survival was most strongly affected by the amount of time which chicks were left unattended by both parents and consequently exposed to predation by kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) or to adverse weather conditions. Additionally, for females (but not males) there appeared to be a trade-off between foraging trip duration and chick survival. The Cape gannet appears to demonstrate a strategy whereby the costs of reproduction to the female are shifted towards male-dominated chick provisioning as the chick nears fledging. Drivers of time-activity budget variability such as chick age and parental sex therefore need to be considered if using data on foraging trip duration as a proxy of foraging effort and prey availability.

The most recent study on cetaceans in Algoa Bay, South Africa, was conducted over 14 years ago. Consequently, knowledge of the cetacean species visiting this bay is currently based on incidental observations and stranding data. A number of developments in recent years: a deepwater port, proposed oil refinery, increased boating and fishing (commercial and recreational), a proposed Marine Protected Area, and the release of a whale-watching permit, all of which may impact these animals in some way, highlight the need for a baseline study on cetaceans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution, and habitat preference of cetaceans in Algoa Bay. Boat-based surveys were conducted monthly between March 2009 and July 2010. At each sighting the GPS location, species, group size and composition, and behaviour were recorded. Using GIS, the sighting data was related to data layers of geographical variables such as sea surface temperature, depth and sea-floor substrate. Approximately 365 hours of search effort were completed over 57 surveys, with a total of 346 sightings. Species observed were: southern right whales (Eubalaena australis), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera brydei), Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), and longbeaked common dolphins (Delphinus capensis). Southern right whales were observed during austral winter, utilising the shallow, protected areas of the bay as a mating and nursery ground. Humpback whales were also recorded extensively during winter, in more offshore waters, with a significant number of mother-calf pairs sighted. Bryde’s whales were recorded in offshore waters during summer and autumn, where they were primarily observed travelling and foraging. Bottlenose dolphins were the most prolific species sighted. They were recorded year-round throughout the inshore waters of the bay, with large group sizes (up to 500 animals), and displayed a wide variety of behaviours. Humpback dolphins were observed in extremely shallow and inshore waters (mean bottom depth of 6.6 m) along the south-west corner of the bay, in small groups of approximately three individuals. Common dolphins were the least observed species, and were mainly observed foraging in large groups of up to 800 individuals. The results of this study indicate how cetaceans utilise the bay in significantly different ways. Geographical and anthropogenic factors have influenced the spatial and temporal distribution of these animals and have resulted in habitat preferences, as well as potential key habitats, in the bay. Thus, this study has provided baseline information for future research and for better informed conservation and management strategies in Algoa Bay.

The objectives of this study were to characterise macrozoobenthic community structure of the western sector of Algoa Bay, to identify the drivers of community structure and to develop a long-term monitoring framework. Data were collected from six study sites stratified along-shore. Each site comprised three stations; most sites were located in areas directly influenced by anthropogenic activities such as inflow from storm water drains and areas where dredged spoil was dumped. Other sites included areas in close proximity to estuary mouths. Physico-chemical parameters of the water column were measured with a YSI instrument, sediment for faunal and physico-chemical analyses was sampled with a Van Veen grab, and collected macrofauna were sedated and preserved pending analysis. In the laboratory, macrofauna were identified to finest taxonomic resolution possible under dissecting and compound microscopes, and enumerated. Sediment samples for physico-chemical analyses were kept frozen pending analysis. Up to 187 species belonging to 137 genera and 105 families were identified. Univariate community parameters such as abundance and number of species varied significantly along-shore, generally increasing towards less wave-exposed sites. Multivariate analyses revealed that community assemblages were heterogeneously distributed along-shore, corresponding to areas where anthropogenic influences such as effluent discharge and commercial harbour activities prevailed. During the 2008 survey, species assemblages separated into six groups corresponding to the six sites but xvii during the 2009 survey, species assemblages separated into four groups probably due to changes in environmental parameters such as the hydrodynamic regime. In both surveys the assemblage opposite a drainage canal (Papenkuils outfall) was distinct as it was dissimilar to all other assemblages. This site was also heterogeneous over relatively small spatial scales. Important physico-chemical variables influencing community structures during the 2008 survey included bottom measurements of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, coarse sand and mud. During the 2009 survey, only bottom temperature and mud content were identified as important physico-chemical variables structuring community assemblages. The principal variable was probably the hydrodynamic regime, driving community structure at a larger scale in Algoa Bay. On a localised scale, communities were probably structured by other factors such as effluent discharges, influence of estuary mouths and activities associated with the harbour. With a lack of information on keystone species (regarded as good monitoring species) in Algoa Bay, it was proposed that groups that cumulatively comprise 50–75 percent of total abundance within communities be monitored annually. Included are amphipods, polychaetes, cumaceans, ostracods, tanaids and bivalves. It was also proposed that areas opposite estuary mouths, effluent outfalls and the dredged spoil dumpsite be monitored. This routine monitoring programme should be accompanied by periodic hypothesis driven research to assess the importance of stochastic events (e.g., upwelling) on macrozoobenthic community dynamics. Keywords: macrozoobenthos, soft-bottom, community assemblages, spatial distribution patterns, environmental drivers, long-term monitoring framework.

Several problems concerning the use of conventional synthetic flocculants has necessitated the need for alternative cost effective, safe and efficient bioflocculants from microorganisms inhabiting many environments, particularly those from unusual environments. Hence, this study assessed bioflocculant production by three marine bacteria isolated from the bottom sediment of Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences led to their identification as Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo, Virgibacillus sp. Rob and Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky. Several factors affecting the production and activity of the bioflocculant(s) were studied. Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo produced bioflocculant optimally with glucose (76%) and ammonium chloride (93%) as sole carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively and at neutral pH and in the presence of Ca2+. On the other hand, Virgibacillus sp. Rob preferred glucose (70.4 %) and iron sulphate (74%) as carbon and nitrogen source respectively; an alkaline pH (12.0) and Fe2+. Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky produced bioflocculant optimally when sucrose (80%) and peptone (72.4 %) were used as carbon and nitrogen source respectively, at neutral pH, and in the presence of Ca2+ cation. The chemical analyses of the partially purified bioflocculants revealed that the bioflocculants produced by Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo and Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky were glycoproteins, while that produced by Virgibacillus sp. Rob was a polysaccharide. We thus conclude that Halobacillus sp. Mvuyo, Virgibacillus sp. Rob and Oceanobacillus sp. Pinky hold promise as producers of new and efficient bioflocculant(s). We recommended development of process conditions for large scale production of the bioflocculants followed by their detailed characterization, as well as pilot scale assessment of the applicability of the purified bioflocculant in water/wastewater treatment and other industrial uses

The site fidelity of humpback and southern right whales in Algoa Bay was investigated as a baseline study to examine the importance of this area for the future conservation of these species. An absence of whales since the 1980’s from Algoa Bay and more frequent sightings of southern right and humpback whales during a survey conducted between 2008 and 2011 in Algoa Bay led to the present photo-identification study. Data were collected from boat-based surveys along the coastline in 2015 and 2016 and data from a previous boat-based study during 2008-2011 assessing the occurrence of all cetaceans in Algoa Bay were added. A cumulative number of 96 individual southern right whales and 184 individual humpback whales were identified from callosity patterns and dorsal fins, respectively, over this period in Algoa Bay. A low resighting rate for both species was observed within (6.25 for southern right whales & 6.98% for humpback whales) and between years (1.04% for southern right whales & 9.24% for humpback whales) with mainly individual adult humpback whales being resighted. In contrast, all southern right whale resightings were confirmed to be mother-calf pair individuals. The timing of monthly sightings and resightings of mother-calf pair individuals in the bay may suggest that this area may serve as a fairly new nursery area for southern right whales and as a possible migratory corridor for humpback whales during their migrations to and from their breeding grounds. The sighting distribution within the bay suggest that mother-calf pairs are located closer inshore and further away from the shipping activities on the eastern side of the bay in the proximity of two operational ports. This forms an important baseline for future monitoring to assess the effect of increased shipping activity in the bay on the breeding behaviour of the whales. The site fidelity of humpback and southern right whales in Algoa Bay was investigated as a baseline study to examine the importance of this area for the future conservation of these species. An absence of whales since the 1980’s from Algoa Bay and more frequent sightings of southern right and humpback whales during a survey conducted between 2008 and 2011 in Algoa Bay led to the present photo-identification study. Data were collected from boat-based surveys along the coastline in 2015 and 2016 and data from a previous boat-based study during 2008-2011 assessing the occurrence of all cetaceans in Algoa Bay were added. A cumulative number of 96 individual southern right whales and 184 individual humpback whales were identified from callosity patterns and dorsal fins, respectively, over this period in Algoa Bay. A low resighting rate for both species was observed within (6.25 for southern right whales & 6.98% for humpback whales) and between years (1.04% for southern right whales & 9.24% for humpback whales) with mainly individual adult humpback whales being resighted. In contrast, all southern right whale resightings were confirmed to be mother-calf pair individuals. The timing of monthly sightings and resightings of mother-calf pair individuals in the bay may suggest that this area may serve as a fairly new nursery area for southern right whales and as a possible migratory corridor for humpback whales during their migrations to and from their breeding grounds. The sighting distribution within the bay suggest that mother-calf pairs are located closer inshore and further away from the shipping activities on the eastern side of the bay in the proximity of two operational ports. This forms an important baseline for future monitoring to assess the effect of increased shipping activity in the bay on the breeding behaviour of the whales.

Globally the failure of traditional fisheries management approaches is evident through the increasing number of overexploited or depleted marine stocks. Past sectoral management has failed to address cumulative impacts of fisheries activities on ecosystem health. Ecosystem based approaches have been advocated as a viable alternative for sustainable management of marine ecosystems as they present a holistic and precautionary approach, which integrates management of multiple activities with that of maintaining ecological health. Although conceptually advanced, implementation has been poor due to the complexities of competing ecological and socio-economic management objectives. Marine spatial planning can facilitate the implementation of ecosystem based management as it is able to address the spatial heterogeneity of biological communities and anthropogenic activities. Ecosystem based management approaches aim to address the full range of anthropogenic drivers on the marine environment, including but not limited to fisheries, tourism, coastal development, and land and marine based pollution sources amongst others. Fisheries activities have a direct impact on the local marine environment and were therefore the focus of this study which forms a starting point for implementing ecosystem based management in Algoa Bay. It is envisaged that future research will build on this foundation and include additional anthropogenic drivers into the management and monitoring strategies developed in this study in order to achieve a truly holistic ecosystem approach to management in Algoa Bay. Algoa Bay is situated centrally within the warm-temperate Agulhas bioregion along the east coast of South Africa and is the largest and best formed logarithmic spiral bay along this section of coastline. A large city, two commercial ports and several coastal settlements are located within Algoa Bay and a wide range of marine based activities occur within the area. A large section of the coastline is proclaimed as a National Park yet only two small offshore marine areas are formally protected. The development of a large marine protected area (MPA) adjoining the terrestrial section was proposed in the mid-1990s but a lack of adequate spatial data with which to quantify the fishery costs and conservation benefits led to wide scale public opposition and halted the declaration process. The primary goal of this study was to obtain and analyse baseline data to understand spatial and temporal trends in the distribution and abundance of fish populations and fisheries activities in order to develop a spatial framework for marine conservation and management in a data limited situation using Algoa Bay, South Africa as a case study. Furthermore, it aims to contribute to the development of a monitoring framework to evaluate the success of implementation and the resultant changes in biological and socio-economic environments. This information will be used to re-initiate the stakeholder engagement process in the future.

The success of the larval stage in fishes plays a critical role in structuring adult fish populations. It is well understood that juveniles of many marine fish species are closely associated with nearshore and coastal habitats that serve as nursery areas while adult assemblages are more widely distributed. The larval phase however, particularly pertaining to nursery habitat use, remains poorly understood in South Africa. A mixed-method, larval and juvenile fish study was conducted in the warm-temperate shallow coastal waters of Algoa Bay, South Africa. Two years (2010 – 2012) of seasonal sampling at 27 stations at various habitat types revealed distinct spatio-temporal patterns in larval fish composition and abundance. In total, 164 species from 50 families were collected in the nearshore (<30 m), over reef and sand, in the surf zone and large estuarine habitats in Algoa Bay. Engraulidae dominated the larval fish catch in the nearshore (38.4 percent) and over the selected reef and sand habitats (37.8 percent). Cynoglossidae (28.1 percent) and Sparidae (8.4 percent) were the second and third most abundant fish families in the nearshore. In subtidal reef and sand habitats, Gobiidae (23.4 percent) and Clupeidae (9.2 percent) were the second and third most abundant families respectively. Sparidae dominated (71.4 percent) surf zones followed by Soleidae (10.8 percent) and Mugilidae (5.3 percent), while in the mouth area of two permanently open estuaries in Algoa Bay, Gobiidae (35.9 percent) Sparidae (30.1 percent) and Mugilidae (12.4 percent) dominated. Several species from the Blenniidae, Gobiesocidae, Gobiidae, Scorpaenidae and Tripterygiidae fish families complete their pelagic larval phase in the reef habitats in Algoa Bay. These reef habitats therefore serve as important nursery areas for the larvae of benthic species. The sand and nearshore habitats serve as nursery areas for Clupeidae and Engraulidae. Highest densities of Carangidae, Sciaenidae and Sparidae larvae were observed at the subtidal reef habitats indicating that this area is important for accumulation of the early developmental stages of these fishes. The nearshore serves as an important accumulation habitat for species in the Haemulidae and Soleidae families whose juveniles are known to recruit into estuarine nursery areas. The nearshore therefore is a specific area of presettlement buildup of larvae prior to settlement of larvae or juveniles in estuarine nursery areas. Cynoglossidae larvae are also using the nearshore as an accumulation area prior to settlement and recruitment into adult populations occurring in shallow water habitats. In the surf zone, not only are estuary-dependent fish species utilizing this habitat as a nursery area, but marinespecies whose adults are either associated with rocky shores or surf zones are similarly using these areas as nursery habitats. In addition, estuary-dependent fish species which spawn in the marine environment are actively recruiting into estuarine nursery areas on both tides. Active recruitment against the outgoing ebb tide flow was a conclusive finding in this study. These larvae and juveniles are actively swimming against the ebb tide in the shallower, slower-flowing marginal areas where current flow is reduced. Strong environmental gradients on multiple temporal and spatial scales occur in Algoa Bay. Seasonal patterns were evident in larval densities, richness and diversity. Peaks in density, richness and diversity occurred during spring and summer (September to February) associated with increasing water temperatures and a high productivity providing a good food environment for larval fishes. Thereafter densities declined steadily as a result of natural mortality, settlement or adult spawning activity, until autumn when numbers dropped suddenly as the surviving larvae moved to settlement habitats. The relationship between larval fish and environmental variables provides information useful to determine distributions. Therefore the Bay is particularly suited for modelling larval fish distributions. Using generalized linear models, larval fish density in the nearshore of Algoa Bay responded to different ocean features to varying degrees. Larval fish density responded positively to both upwelling and when warm water plumes, originating from an Agulhas Current meander, entered Algoa Bay. On subtidal reefs, habitat complexity played an important role in determining larval fish composition and diversity. The less structurally complex, reefassociated sand habitats, yielded higher species richness and diversity than the high and low profile reef habitats. Therefore, it is likely that the importance of less structurally complex habitats has been overlooked relative to other habitats in terms of their function for larval fishes. In the surf zone, wave period and wave height, which can be related to exposure, were the most significant environmental factors influencing larval fish assemblages. Greatest species diversity was observed in the surf zone habitats heavily influenced by wave action in the windward sector of Algoa Bay. The identification of spawning areas and the mapping of distributions of early developmental stages of fishes are important in providing data pertaining to the protection of these habitats. This is particularly relevant as a new marine protected area MPA)is planned for the eastern sector of Algoa Bay. Results from retrogressive plots indicate that the spawning locations of several species of coastal and pelagic fishes are occurring outside of the Bay, with the bay therefore serving as an accumulation area. Furthermore, distribution modelling results demonstrate that the early developmental stages of fishes in the shallow coastal habitats of Algoa Bay exhibit high spatial variability in their distributions. Results presented in this thesis help fill the knowledge gaps critical to the understanding of larval fish nursery areas of several economically and ecologically important fish species in Algoa Bay.