EFFECT OF PREY DENSITIES ON CANNIBALISM IN CAPE-HAKE (MERLUCCIUS-CAPENSIS) OFF NAMIBIA

The preference of large (>60 cm total length) Cape hake (Merluccius ca pensis Castelnau, 1861) for small conspecifics under natural condition s was analyzed off southern Namibia (S.E. Atlantic) between 1983 and 1 989. The results indicate that cannibalism is not related to the densi ty of the small conspecifics nor to the density of alternative prey, b ut rather that large hake have a dietary preference for small conspeci fics. The main consequence of such cannibalism is a lack of density-de pendent regulation of the M. capensis population.