SNOEK, a favourite fish for Cape Flats households and braai grills, could soon be difficult to get on the plate – which could mense in a pickle, especially with Easter ommie draai.
After years of stable catches, snoek is now more vulnerable than it appears.
Declining catches have put pressure on local fishers and opened the door to imports to New Zealand barracouta.
This has raised concerns about the future of local fisheries and the survival of coastal livelihoods that depend on them.
A new study by Dr Sihle Mthethwa from the Department of Genetics at Stellenbosch University (SU) highlights the vulnerability of Cape snoek.
By analysing the fish’s genetic makeup, Mthethwa, who received his doctorate in genetics at SU recently, found that snoek populations are split into distinct groups that do not mix freely, both globally and along South Africa’s coastline.
He said: “This challenges the idea that Cape snoek is a single, resilient resource. Instead, it emphasises the need for careful, locally tailored management to protect this iconic fish – and the communities that depend on it – for the future.”
Mthethwa points out that Cape snoek catches were relatively stable historically, but have declined noticeably in recent years.
As a result, local supply has become unreliable, increasing dependence on New Zealand-imported barracouta (the same species), that is often sold as ‘Cape snoek’.
He adds that the drop in catches raises concerns about overfishing, loss of genetic diversity, and the long-term sustainability of local populations. It also threatens the income and food security of communities that rely on the native fishery.
According to Mthethwa, it’s problematic if different snoek populations are treated as one stock because this can obscure overexploitation of individual groups.
He explained: “When the gene flow between fish populations is restricted, they struggle to replenish their numbers and genetic diversity from overfishing.”
He called for better management and conservation of Cape snoek, by adjusting catch limits and conservation measures to protect each stock individually.
Mthethwa warned to be cautious about imports and labelling, as imported snoek does not serve the same ecological or economic role as local stocks.