A review of marine invertebrates used as fishing baits and the implications for national and regional management in the Western Indian Ocean

In the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), more than 76 records from peer-reviewed and grey literature identified approximately 60 invertebrate taxa harvested for bait food. The most diverse phyla were Mollusca, followed by Arthropoda Annelida, with few of Porifera, Nemertea Echinodermata. Importance each phylum differs according to country, arthropods (Upogebia africana Kraussillichirus kraussi), annelids (Marphysa mossambica) being important in South Africa Kenya, respectively. Of utilised, only 42 are reliably species level, suggesting that diversity utilised region is greatly underestimated. Most data on biology exploitation Africa. Less available Kenya minimal none remaining WIO countries. This limits understanding trends taxa, consequently information required developing national regional management policies. Bait guidelines Africa, but require updating view changes use resources. We recommend development coordinated multidisciplinary, multicountry research aimed at increasing feed into policy support resource management.