FLASH FLOODS and ZAMBEZI SHARKS: it’s all happening in the southern hemisphere! A huge circling low pressure, a warm and cold front duel, and a cut-off low pressure hatches in Upington. The cut-off low heads straight for the coast, but is hemmed off by the crazy ocean duel. For now…
Air flows in all directions at the moment and the weather is in one word – weird!
Flash Flood Warning
Mr. Bertie Strydom was on the scene this morning in Harding, at the bridge he has to cross to get to his farm each day. Built over the Umzimkulwana, this bridge cost a fortune and yet can hardly stand up to any water. Let a, alone this deluge that literally swallows the bridge whole.
The bridge disappeared in 5 minutes!
According to Bertie, this is not an unusual occurrence and says that floods have become a lot more common these days. Bertie, as a farmer, keeps logs of the weather and conditions and is well-qualified and situated to offer these kinds of observations.
KZN
Depending on where you are, the weather is totally different. It has been blasting sun rays down through the low hanging clouds here in Port Sheptone. Yes a few clicks either way and it’s torrential.
Ocean Conditions
Well it should be really nice and playful but it’s not. It is full of holes and bumps and the wind is really not playing along. Maybe things will swing weird even more in the afternoon – it feels like one of those days when an afternoon offshore might pop in for a visit.
The water is warm but it is not clean. Many rivers flooded last night and some even broke through for the first time in a while. It will take a good few days of south wester and calm seas to clean the ocean up for diving.
We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.
2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps going.
Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. Last year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! This year we have had two sailboat incidents already. PLUS, we have already logged some sardines!
Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…
Kob Slaughter in Namibia – Full Story: As it turns out, the kob slaughter we have recently been exposed to on social media, has been going on for quite some time now. Some of the transgressors have been apprehended, and jailed. Just not the ones in our video on YouTube (below). Their identities are clear for all to see on their blockbuster video. But so far they have seemingly gotten away scot-free.
DAFF and the Namibian counterpart government organisation are well aware of the plunder. And have started to work together. So these clowns should be getting a call soon.
Watch the video here…the Namibia Kob Slaughter section is about halfway through…the culprits are not identified in this particular video. But there are plenty of versions on Facebook for you to see who they are, for yourself.
You can subscribe to our YouTube Channel right HERE. The Sardine News breaks here first! Daily reports and updates.
From Ground Zero in Henties Baai
I interviewed a few local fishermen from the Henties Bay area, and this is what one old ballie had to say…
“Well it is an ongoing thing that will not be easy to stop or to be controlled unless they replace the Police, staff and Nature Conservation staff that is placed there. Terrace Bay is way up north and there is a small area that is allowed to be fished. Now what happens is, the people come from SA yearly, get the ‘right Gillies’, (not law obiding) they leave Henties bay and go to Terrace bay. There the Police, the Staff, the Nature Conservation staff all get a pay-off. The gillies arranges everything. Then the guys go, police included, beyond the border where you are not allowed to fish. You don’t have to have any form fishing skills to fish there, as you just lob your bait in the water and the fish are there in abundance. And this happens yearly. Last year, the same group that posted this fish now, did the same. This time of the year our Kob is on feeding frenzy because they finished to spawn. And this catching of the fish illegally happens yearly. It only reached the correct people now, that is why there is some action being taken.”
“But ya, something has to be done. And rather late than never. Luckily something is starting to happen. My question is how do they keep on getting away with this type of wrong doings. The videos they share is more than enough proof that they need to be fined, or whatsoever. I have spoken to one guy that is also working at Terrace, he said that he is not sure who or what group has been caught as there are numbers of groups handing out bribe money to fish there. And coming in numbers mostly on a daily basis. However another source said it is the same group of guys caught and another source said it is not.”
“And the saddest part of all is the area they catch these fish is in a closed protected area. No one is allowed to fish there. And it is really not difficult to catch something, the one oke told me he just flips his rod with a soft under arm swing. Every cast is vas.”
The other interviews were pretty much along the same lines. And all of them are elated at the fact that they recently had guests in the Government Hotel at Khorixas (police cells). But the corruption runs deep in Africa and there are some badly rotten apples riding in the conservation apple cart too, evidently.
South Africans
I have been to Henties and a few either places in Namibia and it’s the same. Bombastic, rude, rich and callous South Africans, always in a big group of two or three double cabs, marauding anything and everything that even looks like a fish.
It happens in the Transkei. It happens in Mozambique. South Africans, with bags of money and expensive equipment, get so out of hand and evil that they leave not only their tracks but a trail of destruction.
Recent complaints filed in the Henties Bay area…
a 4 x4 from South Africa ploughed through a roosting group of Cape Cormorants in Henties Bay at full speed killing most of the hapless birds
a 4 x 4 from South Africa chased down and rode over a local’s doggie, on the beach, causing severe injury and a vet bill,
a 4 x 4 from South Africa, accompanied by two more, recently loaded 220 kob illegally – Terrace Bay
a 4 x 4 from South Africa, accompanied by two more, recently loaded 105 kob illegally – Terrace Bay
a 4 x 4 from South Africa was recently busted buying worms and mussels illegally to hammer the ever-suffering West Coast Steenbras stock in Namibia
Now these 4 x 4s from South Africa don’t drive themselves. Nor do they catch any fish on their own. But put a few trash humans in the mix, and voila, we have illegal killing teams operating on our beaches. Here in the Transkei. Beaches in Namibia. And up in Mozambique.
Who are these sub-humans?
Usual Suspects
Well…the same ones as usual it turns out. These people are part of the same group of creeps who were photographed with a huge illegal catch of kob in the Transkei a few years ago. They are pros. They have all the gear and equipment. They move in large groups together. They surely do this for profit, for the hauls of fish they have been photographed with are worth a small fortune in a fish shop.
Sadly, these guys drag the local gillies down with them. Their greed spills out over and onto the gillies who just see dollar signs when these guys come to town.
Authorities
According to the authorities, these guys are going down no matter what. And that time will tell. The Namibian locals are furious with the poaching South Africans too. The authorities up there have caught a few transgressors recently. Some jail time and half-decent fines have been issued. It’s embarrassing for them to have this news all over social media…as the transgressors brag about their crimes conducted in Namibia – on Facebook!
The net is closing in on these criminals…stay posted right here at The Sardine News.
We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! Download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.
2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps going.
Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. Last year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! This year we have had two sailboat incidents already. PLUS, we have already logged some sardines!
Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…
When a Water Sample is Not a Water Sample: For the past two weeks, here in South Africa, a heated debate has been brewing over water quality sampling protocols in large water bodies. While the technical jargon—centred around “statistical representativity”—might put you to sleep, the public spectacle of elected officials navigating this minefield has been quite the show.
To grasp this issue, we need to tackle “statistical representativity” without inducing a nap. Let’s use Rand Water as our example.
Once upon a time, the South African economy was booming, thanks to the Witwatersrand goldfields. But extracting gold required water, and the Transvaal Highveld, a dry grassland, had little to offer. Enter Rand Water, created to supply water to the goldfields. As people flocked to the mines, towns sprouted, and trees were planted to combat dust, creating the largest man-made forest on the planet. Rand Water became the backbone of civilization in Gauteng.
But what does this have to do with statistical representativity in water quality sampling? Gauteng’s water supply relies on the Vaal River System, which has suffered from pollution over time. Rand Water needed to monitor these large water bodies effectively. Enter satellite surveillance.
The question arose: Can satellites monitor a large water body better than traditional grab sampling (taking a litre of water from anywhere in the lake)? Rand Water launched a research program to find out, using satellites to monitor light reflection off the Vaal Dam while taking grab samples to calibrate the data. Cyanobacteria, which absorb light, were measured to quantify their presence in the water.
The results were impressive. The Vaal Dam, plagued by eutrophication (nutrient enrichment from sewage), often experiences cyanobacteria blooms, affecting drinking water treatment. Rand Water’s monitoring program found that grab samples taken every two weeks were not representative of the entire water body. Satellite imaging, however, provided a more accurate picture.
Now, let’s compare this to Cape Town’s Blue Flag beach status debate, where one grab sample per week is taken to claim water safety. If grab sampling isn’t representative for the Vaal Dam, how can it be for the ocean?
Rand Water’s two-year research program, in collaboration with Cyanolakes, developed an accurate reporting protocol for cyanobacteria and algae. The data is now featured in all Rand Water reports on Vaal system water quality. The study found that cyanobacteria levels correlate with rainfall events, and satellite imaging is useful for detecting trends.
In conclusion, statistically representative sampling is crucial for public trust. Rand Water’s pioneering efforts in this field should be applauded. As for Blue Flag beaches, reliable safety reporting requires scientifically robust protocols. Just because something worked in the past doesn’t mean it’s still effective today.
So, let’s not demonize scientists when politicians misunderstand their message. Instead, let’s celebrate the advancements in science, engineering, and technology that help protect our water systems. And they all lived happily ever after—thanks to evolving science and technology.
Sardines and Sighting Maps
We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! And it already has some sardine action logged!
2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps growing.
Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…
These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.
Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.
Sail Boat rescued at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay: that Dikeledi whipped up some serious east winds for us to contend with. Here in KZN it shoved moisture-rich air onto the land, fully charged from the cyclone, dumping buckets of rain about the place.
Down in that unruly ocean in the south, it came blasting through at 30 knots plus. Unrelenting in its will to flatten anything and everything. Including this sailing yacht, that survived once again due to the efficiencies and commitment by the NSRI contingent.
Over to Craig…
NSRI – Mossel Bay –Tuesday, 21 January. A foreign sailing yacht that drifted ashore has been recovered:
Yacht at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay runs Aground 21 Jan 25
A Finnish couple have been assisted after their sailing yacht drifted ashore in the early hours of Tuesday morning at Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.
Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay duty coxswain, said:
At 08h16, Tuesday, 21 January, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Mossel Bay Port Control, and Police Sea Borderline Control, reporting a sailing yacht that had drifted ashore at Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.
The high tide had just turned, high tide in Mossel Bay on Tuesday was 08h02.
The NSRI Mossel Bay rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the shore side in an NSRI rescue vehicle.
Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, Police Sea Borderline Control and TNPA members responded.
The TNPA harbour tug boat Arctic Tern was placed on alert by Mossel Bay Port Control.
On arrival on the scene we joined an inflatable boat, The Blue Duck, of The Skippers Foundation of Mossel Bay, that was in attendance – that assisted NSRI during the operation.
NSRI rescue swimmers boarded the craft to assist the yacht crew, a husband and wife, from Finland.
It appears that the couple are sailing around South Africa, we believe that their previous Port of call was Richards Bay, and they were at moorings (at the swing moorings) offshore of Santos beach where, we suspect, during the early hours of the morning, in 3 meter sea swells, their sailing yacht may have broken her moorings and had drifted onto the beach.
The Skippers Foundation of Mossel Bay inflatable boat assisted to transfer a towline from our rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III where NSRI rescue swimmers, in cooperation with the yacht skipper, established a towline.
Timing the sea swells that were washing ashore in the outgoing tide, and using our rescue craft, we were able to pull and turn the casualty sailing yacht, that was initially lying side on – abeam – on the beach, to bow to the sea, and then attempts were made to pull her (the sailing yacht) gently off the beach in the shallow water, but attempts were not successful.
Later, we were joined by the TNPA harbour tug Arctic Tern – the towline was transferred to the Arctic Tern and they were able to pull (tow) the sailing yacht out to sea.
NSRI Mossel Bay rescue crew remained onboard, with the 2 sailing yacht crew, throughout the operation.
Her anchor, still deployed, that was dragging – while being towed further out to sea – was recovered manually once they reached deeper waters.
Arctic Tern towed the casualty sailing yacht into Mossel Bay harbour where, once inside the harbour, we rafted our NSRI rescue craft alongside the casualty sailing yacht and then safely moored her at the Vincent Jetty, at around 11h15, and no further assistance was required.
-ENDS-
About the NSRI: The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is a registered non-profit organisation that is committed to drowning prevention and focused on saving lives, changing lives and creating futures for those threatened by drowning in South Africa. We are unique in South Africa as the only non-profit organisation focusing exclusively on safeguarding lives and livelihoods in South African waters through education, prevention, and rescue operations. We envision a nation where drowning incidents are minimised, ensuring the safety of all. The NSRI strives to innovate, constantly evolve, and extend our water safety initiatives through empowerment and visibility. Our volunteers are on call 24/7 and are reliant on donations and sponsorships.
Please visit www.nsri.org.za for more information. NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774
We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! And it already has some sardine action logged!
2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps growing.
Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…
These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.
Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.
Corruption in Fisheries: The Abalone Crisis by Anton Kruger
Corruption in Fisheries: The Abalone Crisis by Anton Kruger – Anton Kruger is a humble waterman from the Boland area who has a big voice. Anton is a voice for the many discriminated-against fishing communities dotted along our lovely coastline. They are abused and pushed around by the Department of Fisheries, an ignorant rogue government organisation with a long history of zero understanding of anything to do with the ocean, her ways, and the rites of passage that might eventually lead to her blessings and her bounty.
Over to Anton…
It is no secret that the Department of Fisheries has a long history of corruption and incompetence. The constant struggle for financial survival experienced by many legal fishermen, as well as the severely depleted state of most of our fishing resources, serves as a constant reminder to us about just how rotten this organization has become. Their latest plan, to be implemented by DDG Ms. Sue Middleton, really is the cherry on top, and needs to go down in the halls of fame of South African atrocities implemented by corrupt, idiotic and uncaring governments, right alongside the evacuation of District 6.
That’s her…
Ms. Middleton has been quietly hatching plans to completely take away the fishing rights of 300 abalone fishers while consulting with everyone except those that will be losing their fishing rights in the process. In true “apartheid era” style; their rights would simply be given to another much larger group living in the same community, while ignoring all objections. Needless to say, this will only serve to further divide and enrage fishing communities. This bomb was recently dropped on them by Mr. Odwa Debula, director of Inshore Fisheries, at the latest Abalone Working Group Meeting. When angry fishers insisted to meet with Ms. Middleton in person to discuss, she chose to hide in her office rather than face the people whose lives she is about to destroy. The quota holders were haughtily informed via email to submit their comments in writing once the plans were Gazetted. It is no secret that once anything gets Gazetted in South Africa, it is rarely changed. Please consider that all of this is supposedly done under the banner of “Transformation.” Then consider that about 95% of these fishers, that will permanently lose their rights if Ms. Middleton has her way, come from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. This fishery has clearly been“Transformed” a long time ago. In fact, these fishers have been making a living from legally diving abalone for over 20 years, they have invested in equipment, paid levies and taxes, qualified themselves as divers and faced the elements in one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. Harvesting abalone is what they know and what they are good at. They are by no means rich either. Almost none of them have insurance, pensions or medical aid. In fact, their quotas are so small that it is not a viable fishery at all. To be an independent abalone quota holder, you need a boat, 4×4 vehicle, diving compressor, diving equipment, satellite tracking system and many other small things including lots of expensive pieces of paper called certificates. Currently the new replacement value of this equipment is close to 2 million rand. Yet, due to their small quotas, these divers will do well if they clear R40 000 per year from their quotas after covering all their expenses. This means that they will have to dive for 50 years just to pay for their equipment, if they do not use a single cent to pay for “luxuries” – like food on the table. It is no surprise that many of them are using old, unsafe, unreliable and outdated vessels, vehicles and diving equipment. Industry standard for business states that if you cannot repay your capital investment in 3 to 5 years, a business is not considered viable. It is therefore ironic that the gazetted abalone fishing policy says that “minimum viable quotas” will be awarded, while it clearly has never been the case for these fishers. On the other hand, I recall that Ms. Middleton’s position was advertised about 8 years ago for R600 000, plus all the usual state benefits like pensions and medical aid. With inflation, Ms. Middleton’s “package” should be worth close to a million rands per year by now. It is therefore no surprise that Ms. Middleton has been known to come to meetings, when she still lowered herself enough to speak to us, with the latest sexy black 2-door Mercedes. It is likely that the abalone fishers under discussion clear a mere 5% of what Ms. Middleton earns in a year. Even this will soon come to an end if Ms. Middleton has her way. The same thing Ms. Middleton now plans for the abalone sector was done to a lesser degree to the Nearshore West Coast Rock Lobster Sector in 2016, when this fishery was effectively destroyed by the department in the name of “Transformation.” Once again, they targeted the small, struggling independent fisherman with no access to legal resources, and once again 90% of these fishers were from historically disadvantaged communities. The quotas of these poor fishermen were cut far below the viable level, while the bulk of the lobster TAC remains today in the hands of only two large companies that have profited from lobster for many years, namely Oceana and Premier fishing. If the intention was to “Transform”, they would have been the obvious starting point. This should be investigated and corrected. The last thing to consider is that the abalone resource is severely depleted. Large scale poaching, which the Department has taken very few effective measures against to ensure that our abalone stays alive and in the water, has decimated our resource while the Department has benefited greatly from the sale of confiscated dead poached abalone. In fact, the Department has been boasting about financing themselves this way. Making a large, new group of people, most of them not qualified to dive abalone and therefore likely to be paper quota holders, financially dependent on this depleted resource, is highly irresponsible. The Department’s first responsibility is towards the survival of our resources. In fact, by International Treaty they are not supposed to consider ANY expansion of a fishery when the level of a resource has declined below 20% of pristine, a level that South African abalone has dipped below a long time ago.
That’s him…
Much hope has been expressed that the new Minister of DFFE, Dr. Dion George, would step in and arrest the madness in our fisheries department. It however appears that this will not happen. All emails to minister George on the subject have been ignored. Minister George faced the fishers in Hermanus once with the empty promise that he would be back. He never returned. Our only conclusion is that a deal was made in the GNU not to derail certain plans that were set in motion under ANC rule. It makes you wonder what other ‘deals’ were made. The sentiment that “You have had your chance; it is now time for someone else to take over” has been conveyed to us through the grapevine. Our message to all those officials, ministers, members of parliament and politicians who advocates this is simply: “If you feel so strongly about helping those you perceive as being “in need”, please proceed by example. It is only fair that you should not expect from us what you would not wish unto yourself. Therefore, please resign with immediate effect and make arrangements to select a replacement from those that you are concerned about. You have had your chance, it is time for someone else to benefit from your massive salary. Only once you have done this, come back to us to discuss taking our livelihoods away.” We should stop putting these overpaid, self righteous clowns on pedestals. They are not acting in the best interest of fishers, or in the best interest of our resources. They are dividing our communities and causing conflict and suffering. They are the problem, not the solution. There are solutions, but they will only be found through frank and open discussion including all roleplayers, and implemented by a more sensible government than the current one. Anton Kruger
Sardines and Sighting Maps
We have started the 2025 Sardine Run Map! And it already has some sardine action logged!
2024 was a thrilling year for sardines. All the action has been logged right here on The Sardine News. The 2024 map has been viewed 200 000 times and just keeps growing.
Which led us to decide to keep the map live. And keep adding unique marine animal sightings and events. That occurs non-stop all year round. This year we started to log more whale and dolphin sightings. And we even had a shipwreck! And a freaking tornado! And recently a capsized KZNSB boat! We have been updating the map with recent catches too…
These events will from now on be included in the Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024. And on the 1 January 2025, we shall start all over again.
Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps. Great for a windy day like today to research. With instructions to install The Sardine News right on your phone or desktop.
