Home Lifestyle

Colder temperatures expected to bring in sardine run

16 July 2020, 8:04 AM |

SABC | @SABCNews

In KwaZulu-Natal’s shallower waters it culminates in the well known sardine run.

Image: SABC News

In KwaZulu-Natal’s shallower waters it culminates in the well known sardine run.

Durban fishing enthusiasts are hoping that the colder temperatures could bring sardine shoals closer to shore.

Fishing expert Adam Kamdar says the sardines are still playing hide-and-seek with netters, but a bumper shoal could surprise anglers as the water temperatures drop and the rough sea conditions ease.

“The forecast for the next few days is perfect for sardines. The swells will drop, the wind will drop and hopefully, the cold temperatures from the berg will descend to the coast and cool the waters down. So fingers crossed, I think Friday, Saturday, Sunday we should expect sardines to pop up and we should expect quite a lot of activity. In terms of angling, good scratching fishing taking place at Isipingo Beach, Winkespruit and Illovo. There’s good sizes of blacktails and carantins coming out.”

Sardines spotted off Port Edward coast

Sardines were spotted in June at Port Edward on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, and are expected to make their way to the Durban coastline.

Large concentrations of sardines were seen off the Eastern Cape Coast between East London and Mazeppa Bay, during winter colder sea temperatures schools of sardines move from the Agulhas Bank at the Southern Cape up the coast to KwaZulu-Natal.

In KwaZulu-Natal’s shallower waters it culminates in the well-known sardine run.

Local fishing expert Adam Kamder says although the sardine fever is running high, fisherfolk are fearing the lockdown regulations may dampen their spirits.

Kamder says, “ At the moment the sardines are just off Port Edward. We are not sure how the sardine run is actually going to pan out because of the regulations and the restrictions placed on netters, so we are still waiting for clarity…”

“I spoke to netters yesterday, they have the licence to net and they have a limited number of pullers they can take to assist them but we don’t know when they catch the sardine, how will they distribute them and how will they sell to the public as before. This lockdown is affecting everyone economically, especially the recreational fishermen,” added Kamder.