A diver viewing the large mass of sardine in the KZN South Coast. Picture: Supplied/ SCTIE
As the temperature drops and aloes are in full bloom along the KZN South Coast signalling that the annual Sardine Run is on its way, South Coast Tourism & Investment Enterprise (SCTIE) CEO, Phelisa Mangcu said they are optimistic that the 2023 Sardine Run will just be as spectacular as in previous years.
The Sardine Run is an annual event and one of the planet’s biggest biomass migrations of sardines and the Greatest Shoal on Earth, which sees anglers, seine netters, divers, and spectators make their way to the KZN South Coast for the amazing sight.
According to Mangcu they’ve experienced some of the best Sardine Runs with a lot of shoal activity close to shore the past few years and they’re optimistic that the 2023 Sardine Run will be just as spectacular for all our visitors and anglers.
“Not only does the KZN South Coast enjoy some of the country’s best winter weather, we’re also fortunate enough to offer front-row seats to the annual Sardine Run – an incredible spectacle to behold and one of our greatest natural phenomena,” said Mangcu.
The Sardine Run is also a calendar highlight for local fishermen who haul in big catches to sell directly to the public, to fisheries, and restaurants.
A local seine netter, Demetre Stamatis said they’ve already noted a lot of fish activity up the coast with pilot shoals passing Mazeppa Bay (Eastern Cape) and Hagga Hagga (Wild Coast), and there’s a good chance the shoals will be arriving in the next few weeks.
Commenting on the importance of this migration for local anglers, he said that from a commercial point, there are a number of netting licence holders that rely on the Sardine Run to supplement their income, and a number of the buyers who need the supplementary income generated by the catch because, this time of year, they can’t rely on fresh vegetables and fish.
“There are also those who process the sardines for sale later in the year which can be a cheap and viable resource,” said Stamatis.
He said it’s difficult to determine a good number of nets per season because the more sardines that are caught, the lower the price they can be sold for.
“The Sardine Run can go on for up to six weeks, and daily netting can be up to 15 nets a day, but this is the exception rather than a rule. There will be a lot of days that only one or two nets are taken,” said Stamatis.
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