Latest news with #KZNSB
The Citizen
07-07-2025
- Science
- The Citizen
New barrier system to replace shark nets along KZN coastline
THE KZN Sharks Board (KZNSB) has announced the rollout of a new shark barrier system that will replace the legacy shark nets and drumlines used at 37 beaches along the KZN coastline. The rollout of the new system is set to be completed before Marine Protected Areas Day on August 1. According to the conservation body, evidence shows that the legacy system contributes to 'high mortality rates among both target and non-target species'. The magnetic barrier system incorporates a cable which emits a low-frequency electromagnetic field, that disrupts a shark's sensory system, specifically their 'electroreceptors, causing the shark to turn away' including white sharks, a marine species most impacted by the shark nets and drumlines. Also read: Durban exhibition celebrates turtle conservation According to the KZNSB the proven deterrent technology will work in conjunction with a shark monitoring programme which includes AI-powered aerial drones and trained field monitors. 'The aim is not only to ensure public safety but also to better align our operations with South Africa's strong conservation values. In tandem with the new deployment, the board will begin the removal of shark nets and drumlines that have traditionally been installed at 37 beaches,' the KZNSB said in a statement. Jacob Ramsammy, lead scientist of the KZN Sharks Board, said the new system aims to reduce shark and bycatch fatalities to zero. 'This not only reflects the national ethos of marine conservation but also brings marine safety practices in line with modern terrestrial wildlife conservation standards. We believe that this transition is a necessary and responsible evolution of our approach to coastal safety. As stewards of both public safety and marine biodiversity, we are proud to lead the way in adopting technologies that protect people without harming the environment,' he said. For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
06-06-2025
- General
- The South African
Sardine run: 25 KZN beaches currently closed for swimming
With the 2025 sardine run already underway, the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB) revealed that they have removed shark safety nets from the waters at 25 beaches along the south coast. The Sharks Board said that that melee of predators accompanying the sardine shoals was problematic, not just to the sardines but also to the Board itself. 'The shark nets that provide bather protection along the beaches take a heavy toll of sharks and dolphins if they are not lifted before the arrival of the Sardine Run,' it said, as per Business Tech. The eThekwini Municipality also announced on Monday, 2 June, that the public was now prohibited from swimming on KwaZulu-Natal's south coast beaches, due to the shark nets being removed. These beaches include: Isipingo Beach Amanzimtoti Beach Warners Beach Winkelspruit Karridene Umgababa Scottburgh Hibberdene Umzumbe Banana Beach Sunwich Port South Port Umtetweni St Micheals On Sea Uvongo Margate Ramsgate Southbroom Kent Bay Umkobi San Lameer Trafalgar Glenmore Leisure Bay To Strand Port Edward Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
04-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
Increased shark activity prompts warnings as the Sardine Run returns to KwaZulu-Natal
Fishermen in Warner Beach netted several crates of sardines on Tuesday morning. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers As the famous Sardine Run makes its annual return to the shores of KwaZulu-Natal, so does a significant increase in shark activity, as evidenced by footage from a netting on Saturday. The video shows numerous sharks entangled with the sardines. 'This is a typical illustration of the increased shark activity witnessed during the sardine run. This is a reason why it is essential for us to remove our shark safety gear during this time,' the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB) said. 'We remind residents and visitors that our shark safety gear has been removed from the South Coast beaches of KZN, from Isipingo to Port Edward, and warn against swimming in those beaches.' The Sharks Board added a disclaimer that the nets do not belong to them. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Lifesaving South Africa urged beachgoers and ocean users along the KZN coastline to stay updated with local municipal notices regarding beach closures. Lifesaving SA President Dhaya Sewduth explained that in winter, KZN beaches are lifeguarded due to warm and sunny conditions. However, the influx of sardines from the lower South Coast has led to several beaches being closed due to heightened ocean risks. This includes removing shark nets, leaving beachgoers more vulnerable. Due to the removal of shark nets, the eThekwini Municipality has banned swimming at all southern beaches until further notice, effective Monday. The Ray Nkonyeni Municipality also closed its beaches, except Port Edward. 'When beaches are closed, no designated bathing zones will be marked, and it is crucial that beachgoers remain out of the ocean,' Sewduth warned. 'Strong swells are affecting the lower South Coast, and rip currents, which are common in this region, pose a significant danger to swimmers. 'We urge everyone to respect these closures and prioritise safety for themselves and others.' Fishermen in Warner Beach netted several crates of sardines on Tuesday morning. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers Over the weekend, KZNSB teams launched and neutralised the gear from Port Edward in the south through to Scottburgh. On Monday, the gear was neutralised through to and including Isipingo. KZNSB's Wayne Harrison said netters were successful at Pennington and Rocky Bay on Monday morning. Harrison said netting took place at Sandspit (Umzimkulu River) on Sunday. Heavy surf and challenging conditions allowed for the recovery of only slightly over 40 sardine crates; the remainder, along with sharks in the net, were released back into the ocean. By mid-morning, the shoals had moved to the Banana Beach/Pumula area, where the sein netters attempted to net. 'The sardines once again were followed by masses of sharks that were regularly seen breaching and feeding on the sardines,' Harrison said. At dawn on Saturday, sardine shoals were reported at Port Edward. Despite rough 2.5m+ seas and a strong swell, two successful seine net catches were made in the morning.
eNCA
03-06-2025
- General
- eNCA
No swimming! 2025 KZN sardine run begins
JOHANNESBURG - Swimming will be banned in all southern beaches in KwaZulu-Natal as the 2025 Sardine Run has officially begun. This will see the removal of shark nets. According to the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board Maritime Centre of Excellence, two netters were successful on Saturday, with a total of approximately 80 crates of sardines were netted at Port Edward. "One of the nets had 21 sharks caught; all of the sharks were released alive," the shark board said. The following day, on Sunday, the shark board says netters tried their luck at the Sandspit near Umzimkhulu river but again the sea was wild and only just over 40 crates of sardines were recovered. The board says of this morning o netters have been successful at Pennington and Rocky Bay. "These sardine shoals are still being accompanied by large shoals of over the weekend, the KZNSB teams launched and neutralised the gear from Port Edward in the south through to Scottburgh, and then on Monday, the gear was neutralised through to and including Isipingo," the shark board says.
IOL News
03-06-2025
- IOL News
Sardine fever hits KwaZulu-Natal: Swimming banned at southern beaches
Seine netters haul in masses of sardines during the annual Sardine Run, which can be experienced on the KZN South Coast this winter! Image: File Sardine fever has officially hit KwaZulu-Natal leading to the banning of swimming at all southern beaches, until further notice. The eThekwini Municipality stated that this is due to the removal of shark nets to facilitate the sardine run. At the weekend, the KZN Sharks Board reported sightings of sardine shoals in the Port Edward area. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "The seine netters were at the beach and netting took place. There were two successful nets taken during the morning. The sea conditions were tremendously difficult for netting with a strong ground swell running and surf size of about 2.5 meters or possibly larger on occasions," said the KZNSB's Wayne Harrison. He said this led to a feeding frenzy with sharks and gannets preying on the thousands of tiny silver fish. "Two netters were successful on Saturday and a total of approximately 80 crates of sardines were netted at Port Edward. One of the nets had 21 sharks caught, all of the sharks were released alive," Harrison said. On Sunday, just over 40 crates of sardines were recovered at Sandspit while more were caught along Banana Beach. Fishermen were luckier in Pennington and Rocky Bay with better conditions to net. With all the activity in the water, Harrison warned that swimming is banned from Port Edward to Isipingo beaches. IOL
