SARDINES made a surprise appearance at Scottburgh this morning, 21 June according to KZN Sharks Board‘s head of operations, Mike Anderson-Reade.
A total of 110 crates were netted in one net at Scottburgh main beach and 25 crates of mackerel were also netted.
“Reports suggest that numerous shoals of baitfish have been seen between Scottburgh and Umtwalume and it is highly likely that some, but not all of these, are sardines (pilchards). These shoals were not accompanied by the normal predator activity. The Sharks Board will be undertaking a flight tomorrow to see if any shoals can be seen further southwards,” he said.
“It is very generally difficult to try and predict the movement of these fish especially when they move in from deep offshore which we suspect was the case this morning. The next day or so should give us a better understanding of whether the netting this morning was a once off or a sign of more to come.”
Shark safety gear has been removed from Scottburgh, Umgababa and Karridene at this stage.
All the other shark safety gear along the coast remains in place and beaches are open for bathing. This may change as the run develops and more gear may be removed over the coming days depending on the status of the sardine shoals.
Every year in June or July the people in KZN await the appearance of the sardines.
The frenzied humans join sharks, gamefish, marine mammals and birds in a sardine feeding orgy.
The Sharks Board reports that like their close relatives, the anchovies and herrings, sardines (Sardinops sagax) live out their lives in huge shoals in the surface layers of the ocean. Although these fish are small, collectively they comprise nearly a quarter of the world’s fish catch by weight, making them one of our most valuable groups of fish
Sardines are cold-water fish and are usually associated with areas of cold ocean upwelling, where deeper, cooler, nutrient-rich water currents surge to the surface when they strike shallow coastal areas.
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