Every year, in autumn and winter, the biggest migration in the world passes the shores of Kleinemonde, Port Alfred, Kenton, Cannon Rocks, and everything in between.
The annual breeding migration of sardines starts at the west coast of South Africa, usually in February. They swim all the way along the coast finally reaching KwaZulu-Natal in around August. From an aerial view, the phenomenon is spectacular: the sardines move in massive shoals that can be more than 7km long, 1.5km wide and as deep as 30 metres. It is acknowledged to be the earth’s biggest biomass annual migration.
Scientists finally seem to have settled on why they do it: during its breeding season, a genetically distinct subpopulation of sardine moves along the coast from the Agulhas Bank (the broad continental shelf off Africa’s southern tip) to the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
Talk of the Town asked two experts more about the phenomenon and when locals can expect the sardines off our shores.
“Pilchards, or sardines, are small fish that live in the water column and form enormous shoals,” explained Warwick Sauer. “They live for just a few years, but form a very important part of the marine ecosystem and are food to lots of marine animals.
“They are found mostly along the West and South coast of South Africa but can travel all the way to Durban in some years when the sea conditions are just right.”
There was no sardine run in 2003 or 2006.
Professor Sauer has been the Head of Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science at Rhodes University in Makhanda for the past 10 years.
When will they reach the Sunshine Coast and how will we know when they’re here?
“This is probably the thousand dollar question!” said Joao Felizardo, of Port Alfred outdoor adventure company Kowie Bunga. “As a natural phenomenon relying on a complex interrelation of currents, weather and animals, the run can be very hard to predict, especially in our area. As a general rule of thumb the action moves from up from the south in early April to May. But often we get pockets further out to sea from May to June.”
Some years, as was the case last season, the sardines come quite close to shore, Felizardo said.
“It’s very very difficult to predict the exact time, so keeping an eye out on conditions and arrivals of the gannets and common dolphins is usually a good indication that they are around,” he said.
Sauer said, “Sardines really like colder water which is very nutrient rich and has lots of food available. They follow this cold water as it occurs along the coast, and it is difficult to predict when they will arrive off the eastern Cape coast and how big the shoals will be each year, but it takes place during the Autumn and Winter months. From the shore, one can often see hundreds of gannets which bombard the shoals from the air, as the fish are chased close to the surface by predators such as sharks and dolphins, all tucking into a seafood bonanza.”
The best way to see the sardines is by boat, Sauer and Felizardo agree.
“Definitely by boat: one can get right up close to the action and for those who feel more adventurous: scuba diving or freediving is the ultimate way of interacting with the phenomenon,” said Felizardo.
Sauer says one of the best ways to experience all the action is to go out on one of the charter vessels and experience it at sea.
“For those brave enough one can snorkel and watch the activity below water. As the shoals move directly offshore from the seaside towns it is advisable not to swim at the adjacent beaches as there are a number of sharks around. Of course, for those keen on fishing there are likely to be lots of fish around so a good time to try for one from the shore,” Sauer said.
Is it safe to swim during the sardine run? We asked.
“Generally speaking it is, yes. However, remember there is a lot more predatory fish activity over this period i.e sharks (of all sizes and species) congregate in their hundreds to feed on the sardines. Keeping that in mind, it’s not a wise idea to swim amongst diving birds: where there are birds diving, there’s usually other Pelagic predatory fish around. Apply common sense and you should be fine,” Felizardo said.
Is it a good time to catch fish?
“The Sardine Run attracts a lot of fish of all descriptions and sizes: it’s definitely one of the best times for anglers to get stuck into some of the bigger species that don’t often reside in our area,” said Felizardo. “Up the east coast of our province it’s not uncommon to catch good sized tuna, garrick , Cape salmon and kob during this chaotic period.”
Kowie Bunga will be doing a Sardine Run excursion to the Transkei during this period and they also have ocean safaris available.
“We hope that this year the run will be a good one filled with all sorts of wildlife that follow the greatest migration on earth,” said Felizardo.
If you have any questions about what more is on offer on Kowie Bunga for this year’s sardine run, get in touch either by phone call on 071 892 8333 or via Email: info@kowiebunga.com
DO YOU KNOW WHO CAME UP WITH THAT HEADLINE?
We think it was probably some subeditor writing or rewriting headlines in some newsroom somewhere along the South African coast who came up with the tagline, ‘The Greatest Shoal on Earth’. It’s a pun on the tagline for 19th century American circus Barnum & Bailey: ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’. Do you remember when you first read the sardine version (‘shoal’) and where and when? Write to us at editorial@talkofthetown.co.za
