The Sardine Run excitement continues with shoals being netted at Marina Beach, Pennington and Winklespruit.
Also, there has been lots of sardine activity from Port Edward to Winklespruit, with birds diving and huge pods of bottlenose dolphins in pursuit.
On the fishing front, Margate Pier had some good catches over the last two weeks. These included kingfish, garrick, kob, shad and a black-tip shark.
In fact, shad fishing has been good over the last month. However, overfishing of shad was reported from Umtentweni Beach to Uvongo Beach, with anglers being issued fines and catches confiscated.
It is believed that some are fishing without licenses and not adhering to bag limits.
Historically, the closed shad season has been one of the most effective management measures implemented for this important coastal fish species.
Shad fishing along the beautiful coastline is highly variable throughout the year. High season is May to September, and closed season is October to November.
The minimum size limit for shad is 30cm total length. This gives the fish a chance to breed at least once before being caught and protects the fish when growing at their fastest.
The bag limit for shad is four per person per day. This restricts daily catches so that there will be enough fish to go around.
According to the South African Association for Marine Biological Research, protecting the bigger ‘blue shad’ at the peak of their spawning season from October to November when vulnerable to capture allows these fish the opportunity to spawn and thus ensure the next generation.
The lack of effective law enforcement during the closed season, in particular, has resulted in the excessive poaching of these important breeding fish.
Remember, responsible fishing is keeping the shoreline as clean as possible and adhering to the fishing regulations relating to bag limit.
Anglers, don’t forget to send your catch of the day to sugann@dbn.caxton.co.za
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