This article first appeared in THE WEEKENDER

29th March 2008

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The Coastal Guide of South Africa (Jacana)
Text by Lynne Matthews, artwork by Sally MacLarty and Penny Noall

“They bite us, and sting us, and even try to kill us,” complains irrepressible Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, “but when are we going to learn that THE THINGS THAT LIVE IN THE SEA DON’T LIKE US?”

His point (mixed in with a few choice Anglo-Saxon four letter words) is well made. But that’s not the end of the matter, because whatever the creatures of the sea may think of us, it’s clear that we like them: we like to look at them, and swim with them, and hunt them, and eat them.

For those who are particularly fond of these activities, The Coastal Guide of South Africa is a very useful book; it is pitched at the reader with a deep interest in the details of sea life. Although the introduction offers fairly basic information on the effect of currents, tides and human interference on the ecosystems of both the coastline and the open ocean, the bulk of the book consists of an illustrated taxonomy of the mammals, reptiles, fish, invertebrates, birds and plants that have their habitat in or near the sea.

Each entry provides the common and scientific name of the species in question, lists where it can be found and how it can be identified, then explains its feeding habits and reproductive behaviour along with other significant features (such as, for those who share Mr. Connolly’s fears, whether they sting or bite).

The beautiful colour illustrations make it enjoyable enough to flip through the pages, but it’s not the kind of book one would read cover to cover. Rather, it is designed – as suggested by the lengthy index – as a reference work or “fieldguide”: find a plant or animal in nature, then find out about it in the book.

Different readers will, of course, have different motivations for doing so. The blurb is aimed at “beach enthusiasts, holidaymakers and recreational anglers” who might want to know about the species that are “most frequently or commonly seen or caught along South Africa’s coastline”. But it is, of course, one thing to come across a particular species while strolling on the beach or frolicking in the waves – even, for those on a kind of marine safari, to try and spot as many non-human life forms as you can – and quite another to yank it out of its element with the aid of a hook and line.

The Coastal Guide is a particularly helpful resource for fisherman. Firstly, it tells you where and when to find what and, moreover, how best to catch it. But, equally and perhaps more importantly, it’s also very clear on the kinds of fishing practices that are environmentally sensitive. At the end of the book, there are tables explaining the regulations for catching recreational fish species (minimum size or mass and bag limits). For those who prefer to scour the rockpools and beaches with suction pump in hand, there’s also information about the DOs and DON’Ts of hunting for lobsters, prawns and other invertebrates.

Finally, the book also applies the rating system of the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI). Edible species are marked with a green, orange or red symbol according to their population size and thus the level of protection that they need: red species are illegal to buy and sell, orange species may be sold by commercial fishers and retailers only, while green species have populations that are large enough to sustain all forms of fishing.

SASSI is equally important for those who live upcountry and inland – or even those based near the sea who, though they might not admit it, don’t like the salt-on-your-skin, sand-in-your-eyes experience – but who nevertheless enjoy cooking and eating the ocean’s bounty. The Coastal Guide of South Africa might be a little too big to fit neatly into a back pocket or a handbag, but if you’re an ecologically-minded seafood connoisseur you would do well to take it along next time you’re shopping or dining out.

East coast crayfish: a definite no-no. West coast crayfish: eat, drink and be merry. Sole: proceed with caution (and a little guilt). Mussels? Green symbol – I’ll have a Brussels-sized pot then please. Kabeljou? Hmm, orange symbol – so not today thanks, I’m trying to cut down ...