sardine run

Fishermen netted the first sardines of the 2021 Sardine Run at Port Edward this week. Photograph: WhatApp

Sardine Run Watch: The silvery fish are here and it’s going to be a big run

KwaZulu-Natal’s sardine run has begun with lots of shark and dolphin activity following the shoal along the coastline.

sardine run

Fishermen netted the first sardines of the 2021 Sardine Run at Port Edward this week. Photograph: WhatApp

Dolphins, birds and sharks can be seen feasting on the silvery fish as they swim steadily up the East Coast towards Durban, signifying the official start of the 2021 Sardine Run.

Seine netters pulled in at least 120 crates of the silvery fish at Port Edward on Monday.

Watch sharks and birds feast on the sardines here.

But netting was hampered on Tuesday along the South Coast on Tuesday by the inclement weather including heavy rainfall and flooding, seasoned Durban fisherman Goolam Essack told the South African.

However, Essack said netters were selling crates of sardines caught at Port Edward on Monday for the “too dear” price of R1500 per crate. He said a crate would ordinarily sell in Durban for up to R800.

“Today there were sardines but all the rivers came running down with the rain. I got to Pumula Beach and the river mouth was open and huge sharks were in the bay hitting the sardines,” he said.

Essack said he then trailed to Hibberdene and Umtwalume where sardines could also be spotting making their way towards Durban.

Essack said the fish were also spotted further south in Port Edward where there were “lots of sharks and birds” on Tuesday. However, he said this week had seen only “the pilot shoal” emerging along the coast, while the main attraction was still on its way. 

“The main shoal is not here yet. I think by the weekend, the main shoal will come. I think we can expect a very big sardine run. There is a very big shoal stretching between Port St Johns and East London,” he said