3 days ago
Sardine run forces municipalities to ban swimming at beaches
Despite the tough surf conditions, 80 crates were netted at Port Edward.
'One of the nets had 21 sharks caught. All were released alive.'
On Sunday 40 crates were hauled at Sandspit, near the Umzimkhulu River.
'Just more than 40 crates of sardines were recovered, and the rest were spilt back into the ocean with several sharks that were in the net.
'By mid-morning, the shoals had moved to the Banana Beach/Pumula area, where the seine netters again braved the high seas and attempted to net. The sardines again were followed by masses of sharks that were regularly seen breaching and feeding on the sardines.
'Though the seine netters tried netting many times at Pumula, the high surf and strong currents prevented the netters from having a successful day. Only one netter managed to get about 30 crates due to the difficult conditions.'
Shoals also made their way to Pennington and Rocky Bay.
The Sharks Board team started removing shark nets from Sunday.
'The operations department is proud the gear was removed and there were no captures, though there was an abundance of shark activity.'
Dhaya Sewduth, Lifesaving SA president, said the eThekwini municipality had closed the southern beaches under its jurisdiction due to the removal of shark nets and other hazardous conditions.
Ray Nkonyeni municipality has also closed beaches in Hibberdene, Port Shepstone, Shelly Beach, Margate, Ramsgate, Southbroom, Marina Beach, Trafalgar and Leisure Bay.
When beaches are closed, no designated bathing zones will be marked, and it is crucial beachgoers remain out of the ocean. Strong swells are affecting the lower south coast, and rip currents, which are common in this region, pose danger to swimmers. Lifesaving SA urged people to respect the closures and prioritise safety for themselves and others.
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