Latest news with #KZNSharksBoard
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Citizen
Beaches closed, bathing banned
All beaches on the South Coast are temporally closed – from Isipingo to Port Edward – due to the Sardine Run. Ray Nkonyeni Municipality confirmed the shark nets have been removed and swimming is prohibited, until further notice. Wayne Harrison from the KZN Sharks Board said nets were removed during April (about six weeks ago) and replaced with drum lines to reduce the chance of whale entanglement. 'We naturalised the drum lines from Saturday, with no marine captures reported,' he said. He also cautioned 'sardine watchers' on the beach to be careful in and around the sardine nets, which are heavier than they may appear. His warning comes as a result of a woman who was injured by a sardine net on Port Edward beach last Saturday. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Herald's Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
4 days ago
- 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
![‘Greatest shoal on Earth': KZN Sardine Run brings massive shoals and sharks close to shore [VIDEOS]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.citizen.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2FKZN-Sardine-Run-brings-massive-shoals-and-sharks-close-to-shore.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
‘Greatest shoal on Earth': KZN Sardine Run brings massive shoals and sharks close to shore [VIDEOS]
The annual sardine run has drawn massive shoals along KZN's coast, with sharks and dolphins joining the spectacle and beaches closed for public safety. An uncountable number of sardines have made their way from the Cape to the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, kickstarting the 'Greatest shoal on Earth'. The sardine run kicked off over the weekend. Millions of southern African pilchards, or sardines, migrate along the coast in massive shoals that extend for kilometres in winter in a phenomenon known as the Sardine Run. Sardine run kicks off on KZN south coast Alongside being an incredible sight in its own right, the movement draws in hungry marine predators such as dolphins, sharks, whales, seagulls, and game fish. The eThekwini Municipality has prohibited swimming at all southern beaches from Monday until further notice as a result of this. 'This is due to the removal of shark nets to allow for the sardine run,' the municipality said on social media. ALSO READ: Sardine fever now in overdrive KZN Sharks Board monitoring the run The sardine run is monitored by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board Maritime Centre of Excellence, which also removes shark protection gear before the run to allow the animals to roam freely. Wayne Harrison of the KZN Sharks Board said on Monday that over the weekend, the reports of sardine shoals off Port Edward prompted a netting operation despite rough sea conditions with large swells and strong currents. '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 in a statement on Facebook. Sunday's efforts at Sandspit yielded over 40 crates, but most sardines and some sharks were released back into the ocean, with shoals later moving to Pumula, where challenging conditions hampered netting. Harrison said on Monday that conditions had improved, allowing netters to successfully catch sardines at Pennington and Rocky Bay, with large shoals of sardines still accompanied by sharks. The board said over the weekend that its team neutralised gear from Port Edward to Isipingo, with no captures reported despite high shark activity, and bathing remains banned from Port Edward to Isipingo. NOW READ: Bathing banned at certain beaches as thousands of dolphins and birds follow sardines
IOL News
30-05-2025
- IOL News
Anticipation builds for the 2025 Sardine Run along the KZN coast
Jayce Govender with sardines he netted during last year's sardine run Image: Suppllied IN A FEW weeks, the KZN coastline will be a spectacular hub of activity as the 2025 Sardine Run is expected to create a fishing frenzy. Seine netters and the KZN Sharks Board have begun preparations for the greatest shoal on earth, with predictions that sardines will arrive in KZN by the second week of June. Wayne Harrison, the head of operations at the KZN Sharks Board, said while predictions could be tricky, the shores were expected to be filled with silvery cold-water fish. 'We are dealing with nature and at the moment things are looking positive. But things can change in a moment. We can expect sardines in two weeks time, or they can pop up tomorrow, or not pop up at all. But by mid-June, they should be arriving in KZN,' Harrison said. He said from the reports they were receiving from Transkei three days ago, sardines were spotted passing the Umtata River mouth in the Eastern Cape, and were heading north. 'Activity in the shallow waters is looking positive, but the sardines have not passed through Port St John's as yet. Once the sardines are spotted, we will liaise with local authorities and bathing will be closed due to activity levels from various different marine animals. 'The ocean becomes a hub of activity during the sardine run, with different types of fish, whales, orcas, dolphins and sharks." The annual sardine run is also a hub of activity for fisherfolk, shark fishermen, and seine netters. 'It is an incredible time for fishing. Netting of the sardines is out of this world to view, and the commercial value to the sardine run, netting and selling sardines, is amazing. It is a mass cash injection that comes into the KZN south coast due to holidaymakers and visitors coming to view the sardine run,' added Harrison. The KZN Sharks Board have stopped using shark nets during the sardine run, and have changed their system from nets to drum lines. The drumlines replaced almost 50% of the nets, which were in place, and was introduced to reduce the bycatch of harmless non-shark species such as whales, dolphins and turtles, which are accidently caught in the nets. Harrison said the drum lines were already in place in anticipation of the whale migration and the annual sardine run, which occurred in winter. Seine netter, Jayce Govender, said he was also keeping an eye out for sardines, and expected to net his first shoal in the second week of June. 'Currently, there are large shoals offshore from East London to Coffee Bay. We received information that there are lots of birds, gannets, dolphins and shark activity in the area. The sardines are hugging the coastline and are sitting in a pocket of cold water between Waterfall Bluff and Coffee Bay in the Eastern Cape. 'They are waiting for a cold front to push the cooler water into the KZN coastline. This allows sardines to migrate faster as they follow cooler water. The water temperature is currently about 22 degrees off the KZN coastline and sardines will arrive once the temperature drops by a few degrees,' he added. Govender said cooler water held more plankton and sardines fed on that. 'Next week, we expect swells of up to four metres, which will help the sardines move closer. From June 10, we should start seeing some action on our coastline. Besides sardines, fisherfolk look forward to the shoals of red-eye fish, shad, garrick and mackerel,' added Govender.
The Citizen
21-04-2025
- The Citizen
How to experience the Sardine Run?
South Coasters are nearing that time of year to witness the 'Greatest Shoal on Earth'. Blooming aloes signal the start of the migration, which sees millions of silver fish swimming close to the shoreline, attracting predators from above and below while giving visitors the chance to enjoy the show from wherever they prefer. The Sardine Run is a massive tourist attraction for the South Coast. Dr Vusumuzi Sibiya, the CEO of South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE), said that winter on the South Coast is incredible for the Sardine Run and other outdoor adventures. The sards movement is monitored by the KZN Sharks Board, with regular updates shared on the SCTIE social media platforms. There are numerous ways in which one can experience the Sardine Run: 1 From the ocean: The South Coast is renowned for its fishing hotspots. Charter boats take visitors out on day trip fishing expeditions in the heart of the action, where big game fish are out on a feeding frenzy. 2 In the ocean: With two world-class dive sites at Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks (Marine Protected Areas), divers come from all over the globe to experience the warm waters off the South Coast. Sightings are even better as the ocean explodes in marine activity. Visitors can book a tour to go scuba diving, free diving, snorkelling or even shark cage diving. 3 From the shore: Visitors can enjoy the spectacle quite safely from the shore itself. There are 58 golden beaches along the South Coast – including the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the province. 4 From the decks: There are many viewing decks to sit and take in the Indian Ocean's beauty. Viewing sites include Umtentweni Conservancy Whale Deck, Ramsgate Whale Deck, Impithi Beach Kiosk and Umdoni Golf Club Whale Deck. 5 From the skies: People can book a trip in a microlight, helicopter or light aircraft for a bird's-eye view of the massive shoals and predator action below. 6 Through the lens: Attracting world-renowned documentary makers, for good reason – the Sardine Run presents photographers with the chance to capture award-winning shots of bait balls, breaching whales and diving gannets. 7 From local eateries: There are a variety of award-winning restaurants, seaside cafés and great bars from which visitors can dine, drink and take in the action. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Herald's Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
