Sardine run
Encyclopedia
The sardine run of southern Africa occurs from May through July when billions of sardine
s – or more specifically the Southern African pilchard Sardinops sagax – spawn in the cool waters of the Agulhas Bank
and move northward along the east coast of South Africa
. Their sheer numbers create a feeding frenzy
along the coastline.
The run, containing millions of individual sardines, occurs when a current of cold water heads north from the Agulhas Bank up to Mozambique
where it then leaves the coastline and goes further east into the Indian Ocean
.
In terms of biomass
, researchers estimate the sardine run could rival East Africa's great wildebeest
migration. However, little is known of the phenomenon. It is believed that the water temperature has to drop below 21 °C in order for the migration to take place. In 2003, the sardines failed to 'run' for the third time in 23 years. While 2005 saw a good run, 2006 marked another non-run.
The shoals are often more than 7 km long, 1.5 km wide and 30 meters deep and are clearly visible from spotter planes or from the surface.
Sardines group together when they are threatened. This instinctual behaviour is a defense mechanism, as lone individuals are more likely to be eaten than large groups.
There have been various hypotheses, sometimes contradictory, that try to explain why and how the run occurs.
A recent interpretation of the causes is that the sardine run is most likely a seasonal reproductive migration of a genetically distinct subpopulation of sardine that moves along the coast from the eastern Agulhas Bank to the coast of KwaZulu-Natal in most years if not in every year.
The migration is restricted to the inshore waters by the preference of sardine for cooler water and the strong and warm offshore Agulhas Current, which flows in the opposite direction to the migration, and is strongest just off the continental shelf.
A band of cooler coastal water and the occurrence of Natal Pulses and break-away eddies make it possible for sardine shoals to overcome their habitat constraints. The importance of these enabling factors is greatest where the continental shelf is narrowest.
The presence of eggs off the KwaZulu-Natal coast suggests that sardine stay there for several months and their return migration during late winter to spring is nearly always unnoticeable because it probably occurs at depths where the water is cooler than at the surface.
In some years there does not appear to be a sardine run. This may be because it is not detected by coastal observers either bacause it actually does not occur due to high water temperatures and/or other hydrographic barriers, or the migration may occur farther offshore and possibly deeper due to unusual conditions.
It was hypothesized that factors beside temperature may influence the movement of sardine along the KZN coastline, One of these factors may be predation pressure.
These distinct regions may affect sardine distribution and movement.
Other conditions associated with sardine presence are:
Unfavourable:
North-easterly and north-westerly winds and north to south currents have a cooling effect upon nearshore sea surface temperatures, but south-easterly winds and increasing air temperatures cause nearshore sea surface temperature warming.
Delphinus capensis, but also the Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops aduncus) are largely responsible for rounding up the sardines into bait balls. These bait ball
s can be 10–20 metres in diameter and extend to a depth of 10 metres. The bait balls are short lived and seldom last longer than 10 minutes. Once the sardines are rounded up, sharks (primarily the Bronze Whaler
, but also Dusky Shark
, Grey Nurse Shark
, Blacktip Shark
, Spinner Shark
and Zambezi Shark), game fish (including Shad/Elf a.k.a. Bluefish
, King Mackerel
, various kingfish
species, Garrick
, Geelbek and Eastern Little Tuna
) and birds (like the Cape Gannet
, cormorant
s, tern
s and gull
s) take advantage of the opportunity.
Cape Fur Seal
s follow the shoals up the Eastern Cape
coastline as far as Port St Johns
.
Sharks and large gamefish presence is also strongly associated with sardine presence during the run, but as they are not as easily observed from the surface they are not as useful a predictor of sardine presence
The presence of common dolphins inshore along the east coast during winter is significantly associated
with sardine presence and common dolphin can be considered the third most useful species for predicting sardine presence.
The resident poulation of bottlenose dolphin does not appear to associate with the sardine run, whereas
the migrant stock does. This may explain why the bottlenose dolphin is less likely to predict sardine
presence.
In June and July of 2005 the avian and mammal predators included Bryde’s whale Balaenoptera edeni, African
penguin Spheniscus demersus, Cape cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis which were predominantly found in the cooler southern part of the region.
Peak sardine run activity occurred within 4 km of shore at the northward limit of a strip of cool water (<21 °C)
stretching along the East Coast. The principal predators at this stage were common dolphins Delphinus capensis and Cape gannets Morus capensis
The KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board and East Coast Radio, facilitate a ‘Sardine Run Hotline’, which provides information on the position and movement of sardine shoals. Information is also provided on the internet.
The Sardine Run Association (www.thesardinerunassociation.org) has been formed to prpvide a link between tour operators, tourists, non-governmental organisations,
scientists, and local and national governments.
More recently, the run has been the subject of natural history documentaries (e.g. the BBC’s Nature's Great Events) and printed popular media
(e.g. National Geographic)
on 20 June 2011, while the main shoal was sighted near Port St. Johns. Small pockets of sardines were seen between Mfazazana and Margate
. About 25 crates of sardines were hauled out from the first netting at Hibberdene. A further 33 crates of sardines were netted, and were sold at R700 per crate or R30 per dozen sardines. The 58 crates were sold "within minutes". An attempt was also made to net sardines at Banana Beach. About 500 Common Dolphin
s and numerous sharks were noted near Margate. Shark nets had been removed between Umgababa and Port Edward
.
Sardines were netted at Park Rynie
on 21 June 2011. Some large nets of 200–300 baskets of sardines were taken. The baskets sold at R600 each. A large gathering of sardine predators was seen off Port Grosvenor
on the Wild Coast
. Thousands of Cape Gannet
s and dolphins were seen in a continuous line of about 6km between Brazen Head
and just north of the Umtata River. It is suspected that this year's shoal is "massive", and will produce a "bumper run". Shark nets have been removed to the south of Durban
. The first shoals were expected to reach Amanzimtoti on 23 June 2011. The main shoal was still near Port St Johns.
On 22 June 2011, a "few" baskets were netted at Umgababa beach, and a "handfull" of baskets were netted at Warner Beach in the afternoon. Sardines were also netted at Isipingo, where 14 baskets were hauled out. The sardines therefore reached the Amanzimtoti area a day earlier than predicted.
Rough seas (with waves up to 4.7 m) caused by strong winds associated with a cold front
kept the sardines from the shore on 23 June 2011. Pockets of sardines were seen far out to sea off the Bluff
. The rough water and far distance of the sardines from shore made it impossible for the fish to be netted. No dolphin or bird activity was seen in the Durban area associated with the sardines. The main shoal was still suspected to be off the Eastern Cape
coastline, with a report of some sardines still seen near Port St Johns on 22 and 23 June 2011.
Durban beaches were the scene of most netting activity on 27 June 2011. "Hundreds of baskets" of sardines were hauled onto the beaches in 13 nets. The price per basket was R350 in the morning, but later in the afternoon the price had dropped to R120 per basket. Each net contained in excess of 300 baskets of sardines, with one net containing around 500 baskets. Sardines were also netted at Umhlanga
, Port Shepstone
, Margate, Umgababa, and Port Edward
. Cape Gannets and other seabirds were seen "plunging from considerable heights" to catch the sardines, especially on the South Coast. Most of the sardines were netted along the Durban beaches as this was the area of calmest waters; swells along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline were around 2.5 m. Shark nets had been removed from Salt Rock to Port Edward, and bathers were requested to consult with lifeguards before entering the water. Meanwhile a baby dolphin washed up on the beach at Scottburgh
, with a gash behind its "flipper" (the photo showed a gash between the dorsal fin and the tail) that exposed the spine. The "weeks old" dolphin was taken to a nearby paddling pool, but authorities later euthanased
it due to the severity of the injuries. Speculation was that the dolphin had been injured by a shark, or by a boat propeller; possibly related to the sardine run.
Swells
dropped to 1–1.5 m on 28 June 2011, allowing more netting of sardines. Sardines were netted at Amanzimtoti; on the main beach and at Chain Rocks. A 22 year old American marine biology student (research diver) named Paulo Edward Stanchi was attacked by a large Dusky Shark
while diving at Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area
. The group of divers had encountered a pocket of sardines when a 3m long Dusky Shark bit Mr Stanchi on his left leg and hands. Mr Stanchi managed to free himself from the shark, and was treated on the diving boat before being transported to Rocky Bay, where medics stabilised him. He was then airlifted to Nkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Dusky Sharks generally live offshore, but come closer to the shore during the sardine run. The annual sardine run allowed more Dusky Sharks in the Aliwal Shoal MPA than usual, but there was no reason for them to show any more interest in divers than usual. Mr Stanchi had been wearing split fins with black and grey stripes, and this may have looked like a small shoal of fish to the shark. Meanwhile a woman in her 40s broke her leg in the frenzy at Amanzimtoti when the sardines were netted. The woman is believed to have been trying to get some of the sardines when she "stepped wrong" and fractured her leg. Paramedics stabilized her before transporting her to hospital.
5 July 2011 was a "quiet day" for the sardine run. "Plenty of birds" were seen diving at Karridene close to the shore. 50 crates of sardines were taken at Umgababa in the early afternoon, while a net of sardines pulled in at Karridene contained some Garrick
. More Garrick were caught by fishermen at Karridene, but in general there was little other game fish
activity. There was reported to be a "massive shoal" of sardines off Coffee Bay
in the Eastern Cape.
On 15 July 2011, 100 baskets were netted at Pennington
. It was difficult to predict the sardines' movements as they were staying offshore.
On 20 July 2011, 300 baskets of sardines were netted at Pennington in the morning. There were lots of gannets off Ballito
, and "quite a bit of fish" between Park Rynie and Mtwalume.
A strong cold front
hit South Africa towards the end of July, causing land surface temperatures to drop below 10 °C over much of the country. Heavy snow
falls were experienced in high lying areas, including Nottingham Road, Mooi River and Newcastle
in the Midlands, while Van Reenen’s Pass was snowed in. The cold front caused swells of up to 4 meters on the KwaZulu-Natal coast and a 25 to 30 knot wind with rough sea conditions. A ship called the Phoenix
ran aground at Salt Rock, Ballito on 26 July 2011 because of the rough conditions. This cold front may have put an end to the 2011 Sardine Run.
Sardine
Sardines, or pilchards, are several types of small, oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, around which they were once abundant....
s – or more specifically the Southern African pilchard Sardinops sagax – spawn in the cool waters of the Agulhas Bank
Agulhas Bank
The Agulhas Bank is a broad, shallow part of the southern African continental shelf which extends south of Cape Agulhas before falling away steeply away to the abyssal plain....
and move northward along the east coast of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Their sheer numbers create a feeding frenzy
Feeding frenzy
In ecology, a feeding frenzy is a situation where oversaturation of a supply of food leads to rapid feeding by predatory animals. For example, a large school of fish can cause nearby sharks to enter a feeding frenzy. This can cause the sharks to go wild, biting anything that moves, including each...
along the coastline.
The run, containing millions of individual sardines, occurs when a current of cold water heads north from the Agulhas Bank up to Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
where it then leaves the coastline and goes further east into the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
In terms of biomass
Biomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
, researchers estimate the sardine run could rival East Africa's great wildebeest
Wildebeest
The wildebeest , also called the gnu is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. It is a hooved mammal...
migration. However, little is known of the phenomenon. It is believed that the water temperature has to drop below 21 °C in order for the migration to take place. In 2003, the sardines failed to 'run' for the third time in 23 years. While 2005 saw a good run, 2006 marked another non-run.
The shoals are often more than 7 km long, 1.5 km wide and 30 meters deep and are clearly visible from spotter planes or from the surface.
Sardines group together when they are threatened. This instinctual behaviour is a defense mechanism, as lone individuals are more likely to be eaten than large groups.
Causes of the sardine run
The sardine run is still poorly understood from an ecological point of view.There have been various hypotheses, sometimes contradictory, that try to explain why and how the run occurs.
A recent interpretation of the causes is that the sardine run is most likely a seasonal reproductive migration of a genetically distinct subpopulation of sardine that moves along the coast from the eastern Agulhas Bank to the coast of KwaZulu-Natal in most years if not in every year.
The migration is restricted to the inshore waters by the preference of sardine for cooler water and the strong and warm offshore Agulhas Current, which flows in the opposite direction to the migration, and is strongest just off the continental shelf.
A band of cooler coastal water and the occurrence of Natal Pulses and break-away eddies make it possible for sardine shoals to overcome their habitat constraints. The importance of these enabling factors is greatest where the continental shelf is narrowest.
The presence of eggs off the KwaZulu-Natal coast suggests that sardine stay there for several months and their return migration during late winter to spring is nearly always unnoticeable because it probably occurs at depths where the water is cooler than at the surface.
In some years there does not appear to be a sardine run. This may be because it is not detected by coastal observers either bacause it actually does not occur due to high water temperatures and/or other hydrographic barriers, or the migration may occur farther offshore and possibly deeper due to unusual conditions.
Oceanographic influences
Sardine prefer water temperatures between 14 and 20 °C. Each southern winter the nearshore sea temperature along the South African south east coast drops to within this range. Along the KZN coast, sardine may be found in water warmer than 20 °C.It was hypothesized that factors beside temperature may influence the movement of sardine along the KZN coastline, One of these factors may be predation pressure.
Oceanographic regions of the KZN coast
The KwaZulu-Natal coast includes varied oceanographic regions, each influenced by distinct environmental forces.- The continental shelf waters of the KZN Mid to Lower South coasts are dominated by the warm Agulhas Current which flows toward the south west. This water has a mean winter temperature of 23 °C and the current speed is often more than 1m/s within 5 km of the coast.
- The Agulhas Current follows a very constant path. The main stream is just offshore of the continental shelf break most of the time, which suggests that conditions are normally unsuitable for sardines along that part of the coast.
- Local winds do not appear to have much effect on the currents.
- Sardine move closer to shore as they travel northwards along the coast, but it is not known whether this is due to environmental conditions or biological conditions.
- There is a persistent cyclonic gyre, known as the Durban Eddy where warm Agulhas Current water flows onto the shelf and the resulting inshore current direction is from south to north. This section of coast may be considered a transition from the wind-dominated section of the continental shelf to the north, to the Agulhas Current dominated section of shelf to the south.
- The North Coast section of continental shelf is considerably wider (>40km) than that of the south coast(roughly 15 km). This causes the Agulhas Current to flow farther offshore, and current conditions over the shelf are more variable. Wind appears to be a dominant influentce in ths region. Longshore north-easterly or south-westerly winds precede currents of similar direction by roughly 18 hours. Sea temperature is often lower and nutrients higher than along the South Coast.
- The North Coast would seem to be more suitable habitat for sardine, but it is not known to what extent they use it.
These distinct regions may affect sardine distribution and movement.
Oceanographic variables and sardine presence
Some oceanographic variables have been found useful for describing conditions influencing sardine presence.- Water temperature has an inverse and highly significant influence. This is consistent with the preferred temperature range of sardine.
- Sea currents have a significant effect, with calm current conditions most favourable for sardine presence and moderate current speeds from north to south most detrimental. As sardine movement during the run is northwards, this counter-current effect is expected.
Other conditions associated with sardine presence are:
- Increasing atmospheric pressure: sardine presence appears to be higher during periods between the cold fronts along the KZN coast. These periods have calm atmospheric conditions and slow nearshore currents.
- Large swells and low water clarity associated with cold fronts have a negative effect on sardine presence.
- Wind direction, wind speed, current direction, air temperature and rainfall all significantly affect sea surface temperature and consequently sardine presence. *Current and wind direction effects dominated, with north-easterly wind and currents from north to south resulting in cooler sea surface temperatures.
- North-easterly winds cause the surface water layer to move away from shore (Ekman veering), allowing the cool water to reach the surface, and south-westerly winds push warm Agulhas Current surface water towards the shore causing inshore temperatures to increase, which would negatively impact upon sardine presence.
- Increasing maximum air temperature, south-easterly (onshore) winds, wind speeds in excess of 6 m/s, and rainfall, all result in warmer sea surface temperatures.
- Strong south-easterly winds and rainfall are associated with the passage of frontal systems, which would push warm surface waters shoreward resulting in warmer sea surface temperatures.
- Frequent light north-westerly land breezes: When north-westerly land breezes are the strongest winds of the day they have a cooling effect on sea surface temperature. This cooling should be greatest in the vicinity of the surf zone where mixing is most effective. Sardine are often sighted close inshore during early mornings, suggesting that they could be attracted by cooler conditions found there.
Summary: Oceanographic predictors of sardine presence
Favourable:- Decreasing sea surface temperature
- Calm current conditions
- Light north-westerly land breezes
- Stable atmospheric conditions.
Unfavourable:
- Increasing sea surface temperature
- Moderate north to south currents
- Large swells
- Turbid water
North-easterly and north-westerly winds and north to south currents have a cooling effect upon nearshore sea surface temperatures, but south-easterly winds and increasing air temperatures cause nearshore sea surface temperature warming.
Predators
Dolphins (estimated as being up to 18,000 in number, mostly the Common DolphinCommon dolphin
The common dolphin is the name given to two species of dolphin making up the genus Delphinus.Prior to the mid-1990s, most taxonomists only recognised one species in this genus, the common dolphin Delphinus delphis...
Delphinus capensis, but also the Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
Tursiops aduncus) are largely responsible for rounding up the sardines into bait balls. These bait ball
Bait ball
A bait ball, or baitball, occurs when small fish swarm in a tightly packed spherical formation about a common centre. It is a last ditch defensive measure adopted by small schooling fish when they are threatened by predators...
s can be 10–20 metres in diameter and extend to a depth of 10 metres. The bait balls are short lived and seldom last longer than 10 minutes. Once the sardines are rounded up, sharks (primarily the Bronze Whaler
Bronze whaler
The copper shark, bronze whaler, or narrowtooth shark is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, and the only member of its genus found mostly at temperate latitudes...
, but also Dusky Shark
Dusky shark
The dusky shark is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, occurring in tropical and warm-temperate continental seas worldwide. A generalist apex predator, the dusky shark can be found from the coast to the outer continental shelf and adjacent pelagic waters, and has been recorded from...
, Grey Nurse Shark
Grey nurse shark
The sand tiger shark or grey nurse shark is a species of shark that inhabits coastal waters worldwide. It lives very close to the shorelines and beaches of North America, hence the name, sand tiger shark. Despite a fearsome appearance and strong swimming abilities, it is a relatively placid and...
, Blacktip Shark
Blacktip shark
The blacktip shark is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae. It is common to coastal tropical and subtropical waters around the world, including brackish habitats. Genetic analyses have revealed substantial variation within this species, with populations from the western Atlantic Ocean...
, Spinner Shark
Spinner shark
The spinner shark is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, named for the spinning leaps it makes as a part of its feeding strategy. This species occurs in tropical and warm temperate waters worldwide, except for in the eastern Pacific Ocean...
and Zambezi Shark), game fish (including Shad/Elf a.k.a. Bluefish
Bluefish
The bluefish , called tailor in Australia, is a species of popular marine gamefish found in all climates. It is the sole species of the Pomatomidae family....
, King Mackerel
King mackerel
The king mackerel is a migratory species of mackerel of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries.-Description:...
, various kingfish
Kingfish
-Fish:* King mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla* Kingcroaker Menticirrhus spp.* Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus commerson * White croaker Genyonemus lineatus * Cobia Rachycentron canadum...
species, Garrick
Lichia amia
The Garrick is a species of marine fish in the Carangidae family, and is native to the Mediterranean and the coastal waters of western Africa to the coastal waters of eastern South Africa. These fish can reach 1.5 m in length and 18.8 kg in weight. They inhabit the coastal wave zone where...
, Geelbek and Eastern Little Tuna
Euthynnus affinis
Euthynnus affinis, the kawakawa, little or mackerel tuna or false albacore, is a fish species.-See also:* List of fish in India* List of fishes of the Red Sea* List of fish of Hawaii...
) and birds (like the Cape Gannet
Cape Gannet
The Cape Gannet, Morus capensis, originally Sula capensis, is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae.They are easily identified by their large size, black and white plumage and distinctive yellow crown and hindneck...
, cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
s, tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s and gull
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
s) take advantage of the opportunity.
Cape Fur Seal
Cape Fur Seal
The brown fur seal , also known as the Cape fur seal, South African fur seal and the Australian fur seal is a species of fur seal.-Description:...
s follow the shoals up the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
coastline as far as Port St Johns
Port St Johns Local Municipality
Port St. Johns Local Municipality is an administrative area in the OR Tambo District of Eastern Cape in South Africa....
.
Predators as predictors of sardine presence
The Cape gannet is the predator species most closely associated with sardine presence along the Eastern Cape and KZN coastline and is the most useful indicator of sardine run activity.Sharks and large gamefish presence is also strongly associated with sardine presence during the run, but as they are not as easily observed from the surface they are not as useful a predictor of sardine presence
The presence of common dolphins inshore along the east coast during winter is significantly associated
with sardine presence and common dolphin can be considered the third most useful species for predicting sardine presence.
The resident poulation of bottlenose dolphin does not appear to associate with the sardine run, whereas
the migrant stock does. This may explain why the bottlenose dolphin is less likely to predict sardine
presence.
Record of predators
2005 records:In June and July of 2005 the avian and mammal predators included Bryde’s whale Balaenoptera edeni, African
penguin Spheniscus demersus, Cape cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis which were predominantly found in the cooler southern part of the region.
Peak sardine run activity occurred within 4 km of shore at the northward limit of a strip of cool water (<21 °C)
stretching along the East Coast. The principal predators at this stage were common dolphins Delphinus capensis and Cape gannets Morus capensis
Tourism
The recent interest in the sardine run has had significant impact on the local economy. The run has become important to tourism and is considered to be one of the main attractions in KwaZulu-Natal during the winter holiday period. Both local and international tourists are attracted to the spectacle and are provided with opportunities to participate in activities such as dive charters and boat based predator viewing tours.The KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board and East Coast Radio, facilitate a ‘Sardine Run Hotline’, which provides information on the position and movement of sardine shoals. Information is also provided on the internet.
The Sardine Run Association (www.thesardinerunassociation.org) has been formed to prpvide a link between tour operators, tourists, non-governmental organisations,
scientists, and local and national governments.
History
Th oldest known record of the run is a mention in the Natal Mercury newspaper of 4 August 1853.More recently, the run has been the subject of natural history documentaries (e.g. the BBC’s Nature's Great Events) and printed popular media
(e.g. National Geographic)
Sardine fever
"Sardine fever" is a term used to describe the frantic behavior of people involved in the sardine run. Inshore currents, the narrow continental shelf, as well as predator herding, sometimes causes sardines to beach, and beaching leads to "Sardine Fever". Descriptions of "Sardine Fever" follow:- "Beaching causes human sanity to be forgotten as "sardine fever" spreads like wild fire. People of all shapes and sizes scramble to the beaches for every beaching."
- "It was exciting, the usual frenzy and a lot of pandemonium as people jostled to get the best spots on the beach." Michael Bertram
- "Children were trying to grab the sardines with their hands. There's even a television crew down here trying to get a piece of the action." Sagie Naidoo
The 2011 run
Pilot shoals were netted at HibberdeneHibberdene, KwaZulu-Natal
Hibberdene is a small coastal town on KwaZulu-Natal south coast in South Africa. It was named after C. Maxwell-Hibberd, the former postmaster-general of Natal....
on 20 June 2011, while the main shoal was sighted near Port St. Johns. Small pockets of sardines were seen between Mfazazana and Margate
Margate, KwaZulu-Natal
Margate is a seaside resort town on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, just about 20 kilometres southwest of Port Shepstone. The river which flows into the sea at Margate is called "Nkhongweni" because the original inhabitants were reputed to be so mean that travellers had to beg for hospitality...
. About 25 crates of sardines were hauled out from the first netting at Hibberdene. A further 33 crates of sardines were netted, and were sold at R700 per crate or R30 per dozen sardines. The 58 crates were sold "within minutes". An attempt was also made to net sardines at Banana Beach. About 500 Common Dolphin
Common dolphin
The common dolphin is the name given to two species of dolphin making up the genus Delphinus.Prior to the mid-1990s, most taxonomists only recognised one species in this genus, the common dolphin Delphinus delphis...
s and numerous sharks were noted near Margate. Shark nets had been removed between Umgababa and Port Edward
Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal
Port Edward is a small resort town situated on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, right on the Eastern Cape Province border.Port Edward is a tourist resort for seasonal visitors from more affluent regions of South Africa...
.
Sardines were netted at Park Rynie
Park Rynie, KwaZulu-Natal
Park Rynie is a small resort town on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was established in 1857 and named after Renetta Hoffman, wife of one of the two landlords who developed the area. There was a whaling station here before World War I. Neighbouring towns and settlements...
on 21 June 2011. Some large nets of 200–300 baskets of sardines were taken. The baskets sold at R600 each. A large gathering of sardine predators was seen off Port Grosvenor
Port Grosvenor
Port Grosvenor was a harbour on the Wild Coast in South Africa, near the spot where the Indiaman Grosvenor was wrecked in 1782. It was only in use in 1885 and 1886.-History:...
on the Wild Coast
Wild Coast
The Wild Coast can refer to:*The Wild Coast, a coastal region in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa*The Wild Coast, a fictional region located in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.-See also:...
. Thousands of Cape Gannet
Cape Gannet
The Cape Gannet, Morus capensis, originally Sula capensis, is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae.They are easily identified by their large size, black and white plumage and distinctive yellow crown and hindneck...
s and dolphins were seen in a continuous line of about 6km between Brazen Head
Brazen Head
A Brazen Head was a prophetic device attributed to many medieval scholars who were believed to be wizards, or who were reputed to be able to answer any question. It was always in the form of a man's head, and it could correctly answer any question asked of it...
and just north of the Umtata River. It is suspected that this year's shoal is "massive", and will produce a "bumper run". Shark nets have been removed to the south of Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
. The first shoals were expected to reach Amanzimtoti on 23 June 2011. The main shoal was still near Port St Johns.
On 22 June 2011, a "few" baskets were netted at Umgababa beach, and a "handfull" of baskets were netted at Warner Beach in the afternoon. Sardines were also netted at Isipingo, where 14 baskets were hauled out. The sardines therefore reached the Amanzimtoti area a day earlier than predicted.
Rough seas (with waves up to 4.7 m) caused by strong winds associated with a cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
kept the sardines from the shore on 23 June 2011. Pockets of sardines were seen far out to sea off the Bluff
Bluff, KwaZulu-Natal
Bluff or The Bluff is a residential suburb of Durban, eThekwini metropolitan municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. One of five such suburbs in the South Durban Basin, the community is situated on a promontory that is one of the main enclosing elements of Durban Harbour from the...
. The rough water and far distance of the sardines from shore made it impossible for the fish to be netted. No dolphin or bird activity was seen in the Durban area associated with the sardines. The main shoal was still suspected to be off the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
coastline, with a report of some sardines still seen near Port St Johns on 22 and 23 June 2011.
Durban beaches were the scene of most netting activity on 27 June 2011. "Hundreds of baskets" of sardines were hauled onto the beaches in 13 nets. The price per basket was R350 in the morning, but later in the afternoon the price had dropped to R120 per basket. Each net contained in excess of 300 baskets of sardines, with one net containing around 500 baskets. Sardines were also netted at Umhlanga
Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal
Umhlanga is a residential, commercial and resort town north of Durban on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, created in 2000, which includes the greater Durban area...
, Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal
Port Shepstone is situated on the mouth of the largest river on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the Mzimkulu River . south of Durban, it is the administrative, educational and commercial centre for southern Natal.- History :Port Shepstone was founded in 1867 when marble was...
, Margate, Umgababa, and Port Edward
Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal
Port Edward is a small resort town situated on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, right on the Eastern Cape Province border.Port Edward is a tourist resort for seasonal visitors from more affluent regions of South Africa...
. Cape Gannets and other seabirds were seen "plunging from considerable heights" to catch the sardines, especially on the South Coast. Most of the sardines were netted along the Durban beaches as this was the area of calmest waters; swells along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline were around 2.5 m. Shark nets had been removed from Salt Rock to Port Edward, and bathers were requested to consult with lifeguards before entering the water. Meanwhile a baby dolphin washed up on the beach at Scottburgh
Scottburgh, KwaZulu-Natal
Scottburgh is a resort town situated on the mouth of the Mpambanyoni River , 58 km south of Durban on KwaZulu-Natal South Coast in South Africa...
, with a gash behind its "flipper" (the photo showed a gash between the dorsal fin and the tail) that exposed the spine. The "weeks old" dolphin was taken to a nearby paddling pool, but authorities later euthanased
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
it due to the severity of the injuries. Speculation was that the dolphin had been injured by a shark, or by a boat propeller; possibly related to the sardine run.
Swells
Swell (ocean)
A swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series surface gravity waves that is not generated by the local wind. Swell waves often have a long wavelength but this varies with the size of the water body, e.g. rarely more than 150 m in the Mediterranean, and from event to event, with...
dropped to 1–1.5 m on 28 June 2011, allowing more netting of sardines. Sardines were netted at Amanzimtoti; on the main beach and at Chain Rocks. A 22 year old American marine biology student (research diver) named Paulo Edward Stanchi was attacked by a large Dusky Shark
Dusky shark
The dusky shark is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, occurring in tropical and warm-temperate continental seas worldwide. A generalist apex predator, the dusky shark can be found from the coast to the outer continental shelf and adjacent pelagic waters, and has been recorded from...
while diving at Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area
Aliwal Shoal
The Aliwal Shoal is a rocky reef which is the remains of an ancient sand dune approximately 5 km off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The reef plays host to many kinds of hard and soft corals and a variety of tropical and subtropical fish species. Aliwal Shoal was named after the...
. The group of divers had encountered a pocket of sardines when a 3m long Dusky Shark bit Mr Stanchi on his left leg and hands. Mr Stanchi managed to free himself from the shark, and was treated on the diving boat before being transported to Rocky Bay, where medics stabilised him. He was then airlifted to Nkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Dusky Sharks generally live offshore, but come closer to the shore during the sardine run. The annual sardine run allowed more Dusky Sharks in the Aliwal Shoal MPA than usual, but there was no reason for them to show any more interest in divers than usual. Mr Stanchi had been wearing split fins with black and grey stripes, and this may have looked like a small shoal of fish to the shark. Meanwhile a woman in her 40s broke her leg in the frenzy at Amanzimtoti when the sardines were netted. The woman is believed to have been trying to get some of the sardines when she "stepped wrong" and fractured her leg. Paramedics stabilized her before transporting her to hospital.
5 July 2011 was a "quiet day" for the sardine run. "Plenty of birds" were seen diving at Karridene close to the shore. 50 crates of sardines were taken at Umgababa in the early afternoon, while a net of sardines pulled in at Karridene contained some Garrick
Lichia amia
The Garrick is a species of marine fish in the Carangidae family, and is native to the Mediterranean and the coastal waters of western Africa to the coastal waters of eastern South Africa. These fish can reach 1.5 m in length and 18.8 kg in weight. They inhabit the coastal wave zone where...
. More Garrick were caught by fishermen at Karridene, but in general there was little other game fish
Game fish
Game fish are fish pursued for sport by recreational anglers. They can be freshwater or marine fish. Game fish can be eaten after being caught, though increasingly anglers practise catch and release to improve fish populations. Some game fish are also targeted commercially, particularly...
activity. There was reported to be a "massive shoal" of sardines off Coffee Bay
Coffee Bay
Coffee Bay is a small community of interest in Wild Coast, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It is about 250 kilometres south of the city of Durban. It has a population of approximately 600 people.-References:...
in the Eastern Cape.
On 15 July 2011, 100 baskets were netted at Pennington
Pennington, KwaZulu-Natal
Pennington is a small coastal town on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Apart from a large sugarcane and dairy farming, it also hosts scores of holiday makers who flock to the seaside during the December holidays....
. It was difficult to predict the sardines' movements as they were staying offshore.
On 20 July 2011, 300 baskets of sardines were netted at Pennington in the morning. There were lots of gannets off Ballito
Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal
Ballito is a holiday town located in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Ballito is about 40 kilometres north of Durban. Dolphins are common on this stretch of the North Coast shoreline known as the Dolphin Coast...
, and "quite a bit of fish" between Park Rynie and Mtwalume.
A strong cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
hit South Africa towards the end of July, causing land surface temperatures to drop below 10 °C over much of the country. Heavy snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
falls were experienced in high lying areas, including Nottingham Road, Mooi River and Newcastle
Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal
Newcastle is the third largest city and urban center in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Newcastle is located in the North West corner of the province along the Ncandu River and is moderately industrial....
in the Midlands, while Van Reenen’s Pass was snowed in. The cold front caused swells of up to 4 meters on the KwaZulu-Natal coast and a 25 to 30 knot wind with rough sea conditions. A ship called the Phoenix
Phoenix (ship)
Phoenix, or Phenix, was an American wooden whaler plying the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean from its base in Nantucket, Massachusetts, from 1821-1858....
ran aground at Salt Rock, Ballito on 26 July 2011 because of the rough conditions. This cold front may have put an end to the 2011 Sardine Run.
See also
- Agulhas CurrentAgulhas CurrentThe Agulhas Current is the Western Boundary Current of the southwest Indian Ocean. It flows down the east coast of Africa from 27°S to 40°S. It is narrow, swift and strong...
- The Blue PlanetThe Blue PlanetThe Blue Planet is a BBC nature documentary series narrated by David Attenborough, first transmitted in the UK from 12 September 2001.Described as "the first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world's oceans", each of the eight 50-minute episodes examines a different aspect of...
- Shoaling and schoolingShoaling and schoolingIn biology, any group of fish that stay together for social reasons are said to be shoaling , and if, in addition, the group is swimming in the same direction in a coordinated manner, they are said to be schooling . In common usage, the terms are sometimes used rather loosely...
- Forage fishForage fishForage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small fish which are preyed on by larger predators for food. Predators include other larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the base of the food chain on plankton, often by filter feeding...
- Fish migrationFish migrationMany types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousands of kilometres...
- Wild Ocean (film)Wild Ocean (film)Wild Ocean is a 2008 documentary 3D IMAX film about the annual migration of billions of sardines, the sardine run, up the South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal Coast and its human and animal impact.-External links:* at Giant Screen Films...
External links
- Sardine run
- Sardine Run – Official Sardine Festival website managed by South Coast Tourism
- Sardine Run – The Great Underwater Migration, About.com. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
- The Greatest Shoal on Earth Exclusive to South Africa