Predatory pelagic fishes of the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau) show high overlap in diets dominated by sardinella

A study of the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau) reveals that three key predatory pelagic fish species—the Crevalle jack, West African Spanish mackerel, and Guinean barracuda—share a highly overlapping diet dominated by Sardinella maderensis, accounting for 47–96% of their prey. This suggests a 'wasp-waist' ecosystem structure, where S. maderensis acts as a central small-sized pelagic fish species critical to the food web. The research used dietary analysis to assess seasonal variations and trophic interactions among these commercially important predators, emphasizing the need for ecosystem-based fisheries management to prevent overexploitation of clupeids. The findings highlight the vulnerability of this structure to rapid fisheries expansion in West Africa.

Correia, E., Granadeiro, J., Regalla, A., Dias, E., Almeida, A., & Catry, P. (2017). Predatory pelagic fishes of the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau) show high overlap in diets dominated by sardinella. African Journal of Marine Science, 39(4), 389–396. https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232x.2017.1387605