Sardine Report 28 May 2021: Mdumbi sardines sightings continue
Sardine Report 28 May 2021: Mdumbi sardines sightings continue. Our sardine spy (well actually it’s a Master Watermen source), wakes up every day and scours the Wild Coast ocean for sardines.
His name is Quentin and he lives at Mdumbi!
Video Mdumbi Sardines: Report 28 May 2021
In as much as it has been a very quiet week, what with the warm water and chaotic seas, there still are sardines filtering through. This report from Quentin, sent through to Jason Heyne of the master Watermen website very early this morning (check the blood moon in the video), is actually quite thorough with Quentin getting information in from East London too.
Deep ‘Kei
Water temperatures
These spearfishermen really have their fingers on the pulse.
So much so in fact, that Jason also sent me this!
The temperature is dropping!
After so much warm water, it had to happen. And now maybe this will be the trigger to bring things back online again.
Rock and Surf
In the meantime, it’s shad and other smallies flat out in the gulleys and coves.
Deep Sea
It’s been a no-go zone on most days. But the days that are fished are legendary. Huge couta.
Spearing
The bad conditions even keep these guys out of the water
Summary
Go fishing off the beach!
If you haven’t heard all this before – stay on top of the sardine whereabouts this 2021 by signing up to our mailing list on The Sardine News above. And then subscribing to our YouTube Channel right HERE. And most importantly by checking our Sardine Sightings Map 2021 right here at this LINK.
Who needs a helmet? Late May 2021 Weekend with Terry Simms at Stupours
Next question please…?
Who needs a helmet?
Who needs a helmet? Featuring Bruce Gold at Stupours.
Well it turns out, we all do!
Well, this is the message of the travelling friends as they cruise the globe surfing all over together. And Brucifire is way in on the action with a bright baby blue model that you can see for about 15 nautical miles.
They got a few surfs in even at Seal Point. As the ocean started to rumble, on Wednesday.
SeaScape surfing helmets with Brucifire and Terry Simms
Benjamin Barnard from supers also made the cut with an amazing wave (on Dolfyn Donderdag), on which he never lost his cool once, as a bunch of dolphins dropped in on him repeatedly.
Right at his home break haha!
Whose home break?
The Waves arrived
Well, the surf played along with all this kindness from Terry and Dave. And the waves have been cooking actually. Terry got three in a row on a sunrise session.
Wild and woolly but with plenty takes at Supers this weekend. Grab you helmet and gooooo!
And just about everyone is having a go at it. Weekend waves in JBay are actually a real rarity!
LIVE
BTW, in case you hadn’t noticed, this show was wrapped up yesterday! Yip, 19 May to Saturday 22 May 2021. It’s damn well almost live! Live broadcasts are on the cards again, but Bruce and I have long engaged in these type of digital indabas by now. And still they don’t come easy!
Skype me Bruce!
But only when the GOAT comes back!
Thanks for watching, please Like and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel – spread the word where possible.
Sardine Report 19 May 2021: it’s all about game fish
This Sardine Report for today 19 May 2021 is all about the waiting game fish. The ‘couta are here! Just about any KZN backline will be firing at the moment!
Luckily the sardine season is not only about sardines! And there have been ZERO sightings or reports from ANY of our spies, ANYWHERE! Since the few shoals that were spotted last week in the East London and into the Transkei area, NADA.
However…it’s all about the waiting game fish this May 2021!
Spearos
Good catches of ‘couta are being recorded by spearos right up and down the entire length of the Kwazulu Natal seaboard. The following pics are fresh in from our local and very reliable spearfishermen crew, at The Master Watermen website. Easily accessed at https://masterwatermen.co.za.
Deep-sea
Well it’s mainly the not-so-deep sea waters that will be holding all the ski-boaters attention around here. And some really good game fish are coming out. On this day, yesterday in fact, the ous on Half-jack had another crazy good day’s fishing out off Umtentweni. They got a bunch of species including a crocodile ‘couta, an out-sized cobia (prodigal son in South Africa) and a snoek (Queen Mackerel)!
It is also still billfish time and plenty encounters have been reported. The Rosebowl marlin tag and release event was a huge success. Thanks to Len Mathews for the superfragalisticespialodocious video clip of he and his wife and crew a releasing a 500lb black marlin. It is epic to watch and to listen to the super-stoked crew.
Rock ‘n Surf
Shad are all over and with the absolute absence of any officials in most places, undersized fish are the norm again. It’s really bad that not one angler gets checked EVER, in some places?!
And somebody did catch a garrick, and a few more have been speared.
The Transkei is having a good run of koblets. Great for tag and release…
Estuaries
With the clean water, back come the fast swimming gamefish (when it’s so dirty like it gets these guys would surely crash non-stop). Greenspot kingfish and little GTs have already been chasing lures and photos in some places. And with the bumper season of rock salmon catches by the spearos, we are sure to encounter some of those red monsters too (the bus rock salmon in the gallery below by Master Waterman Jeremy Williams was NOT shot in an estuary – it is just there for perspective and to wonder at how to stop a rockie that size in an estuary).
In the Umzimkulu, with a guest just last week, we got absolutely obliterated by one of them. It looked really like a yellowfin tuna had taken the Dirty Prawn bucktail! The angler was an expert who had had his teeth cut on goliath tigers already, did everything right. But when the fish actually realised he was hooked, and screamed down river and towards the mangroves pulling maximum drag, nothing was gonna stop him. Not even 5kgs of drag. Luckily the hook pulled just before he got into the trees. And we both learned our lessons. I have tackled right up to a Stella packed with something heavy-pound braid that normally fishes for yellowfin tuna.
For real!
Conclusion
But ok, that’s it for today the 19 May 2021. A very early sardine report that characteristically for this time of the year, features no sardines.
The aloes have all turned orange and are starting to flower. But nature’s indicator says we need to be patient a few more weeks.
But if anything, get out there and be fishing!
If you are not subscribed to either The Sardine News or the channel on YouTube, best you do so so that you will NEVER MISS OUT again on any sardine action, this May 2021.
Welcome back to the most up-to-date sardine run 2021 reporting YouTube Channel and website – The Sardine News.
Morgans Bay
A very positive triple-up report from the Morgans Bay area, just north of East London. The trio verify each other with near-exact descriptions of the action and combining of elements. And location. Kilometres of sardines, with thousands of birds, and the usual plethora of marine wildlife in chase. Humpback whales were also reported along with hundreds of dolphins and gamefish.
Perfect timing
Actually, this is perfect timing, for these first shoals to make their appearance. It bodes well for a good season and we need not even get too excited about these first shoals. Except that, they often have the gamefish with them. Winter gamefish hang around for the sardine run, patrolling up and down the coastline in search of the huge free meal. So they are often at the first few smaller and stretched out shoals. And they seem to out-pace the sharks. Who more lazily stick to the massive shoals that are still coming.
Aloes
Baby buds forming up for the sardine run 2021 season.
The aloes on the KZN coastline and further south, are the most reliable indicator, as far as we can tell from the years. And they have hardly started budding. Although they are getting some colour. And when the “red hot pokers bloom”, that’s when the sardines will arrive en-masse.
So, make sure you do not miss out on any sardine action and whereabouts, by subscribing to this channel.
Although we do feature surfing and diving along with fishing, we realise that this time of the year is all about the sardines.
And so we commit to being extra diligent as we gather and report on the sardine run this 2021.
Master Watermen
The Morgans Bay reports actually came from the Master Watermen spearfishing website which you follow too. To take advantage of the spearos underwater perspectives.
Many reasons to celebrate Africa’s first-ever Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day
On Sunday, 1 August 2021, a consortium of South African organisations will be the first, globally, to celebrate a day dedicated to the conservation of critical ocean areas which allow marine life to thrive, reproduce and grow. Along the South African coastline, there are 42 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which provide crucial safe havens for animals and plants in the ocean, and also support human communities.
“While many people are aware of the importance of terrestrial protected areas, such as nature reserves and game parks, few understand that the same level of protection can – and must – be afforded our ocean life as well,” explained Dr Judy Mann, Conservation Strategist at SAAMBR (South African Association for Marine Biological Research). “These are effectively the ‘Kruger National Parks of the oceans and an investment in our own future well-being.”
In South Africa, MPAs are declared through the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, and are the responsibility of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. On land, South Africa protects 7.8 percent of our land area, whereas in the ocean, it’s only 5 percent of the territory.
To highlight the important role MPAs play in conservation of marine biodiversity, the consortium of South African organisations, passionate about the protection of marine life and people, have established MPA Day as a way to educate and inspire others about the proper management of these protected spaces and to draw attention to the benefits which MPAs provide. Here’s a look at some of the reasons to celebrate MPA Day on 1 August.
1. MPAs ensure biodiversity
They protect a range of marine ecosystems which are home to rare or endangered species, as well as uniquely South African animals and plants that live nowhere else in the world. They protect critical nursery habitats for marine creatures and provide a space for resident fish species to increase in number and size, securing a vital food source for humans.
2. MPAs support adjacent fisheries
MPAs enable fish stocks to increase in size and abundance and, over time, these spill over into adjacent fished areas to improve catches for fisheries.
3. MPAs ensure healthy marine animals
Through the establishment of MPAs, marine animals are genetically stronger, which means they can better adapt to changes in the ocean.
4. MPAs protect cultural heritage
The ocean is a revered space for cleansing, worship, inspiration and rejuvenation, and by protecting these spaces, traditional practices can continue, connecting present generations with cultural roots.
5. MPAs promote tourism
These areas are invaluable spaces for recreational activities, including snorkelling, scuba diving, whale watching and turtle nesting, among others. Some of the country’s MPAs are internationally-renowned dive sites, attracting tourists to the region.
6. MPAs are outdoor classrooms
From pupils in foundation phase through to students at tertiary level, MPAs act as educational centres for learning in the environment, providing a direct connection to the natural world.
7. MPAs contribute to research
The pristine quality of these conservation areas gives an idea of what nature looks like when not impacted by humans. This forms a solid foundation for research into the natural world and necessary conservation techniques.
8. MPAs provide resilience to climate change
Healthy oceans absorb enormous amounts of carbon dioxide and are home to plant life that produces oxygen, helping to buffer humans from the effects of climate change. They also protect coastal communities from the devastating effects of rising sea levels.
9. MPAs help with job creation
The marine wildlife economy paves the way for sustainable job creation. The recreational benefits of MPAs – snorkelling, scuba diving and the like – provides employment in the tourism industry. The conservation side also creates jobs in the form of field rangers, park managers, hospitality and maintenance staff. The many jobs associated with fisheries also rely on healthy marine ecosystems.
10. MPAs are medically useful
Marine-based animals use complex compounds to defend themselves, some of which can be extracted and used in the creation of drugs that may fight off viruses, bacteria and cancer cells.
How can you celebrate MPA Day?
• Start a conversation about MPAs using the hashtags #MPAday #Conservation #Marine #MPA #MarineProtectedArea and share what you know with others.
• Learn as much as you can and discover the wealth of diverse and beautiful ocean creatures, plants and habitats within our MPAs and how protecting these ecosystems can help people.
• Celebrate MPAs in whatever way you can because, whether you live inland or on the coast, everyone benefits from well-managed protected areas and depends on the ocean for survival.
• Visit one of the country’s incredible MPA areas and discover the wonders for yourself.
• If you are a fisherman, respect the boundaries of MPAs and teach fellow anglers about the importance of MPAs.
• Follow Instagram: @marineprotectedareassa, Twitter: @MPAsSA1 or Facebook: Marine Protected Areas SA (@MPASouthAfrica).
Some of the partners involved in MPA Day are the SAAMBR, Two Oceans Aquarium, Flow Communications, Olivia Jones Communications, Dyer Island Conservation Trust, and Wildtrust.
Eve Marshall Marine Protected Areas
The diversity of life on the coral reefs of the iSimangaliso MPA is astounding. Photographer: Eve Marshall
Marine Protected Areas by Mark van Coller
Puffadder shy shark is one of the smaller shark species protected in the cooler waters of our Southern and Western Cape coastal MPAs. Photographer: Mark van Coller
Marine Protected Areas by Mark van Coller
These beautiful cold water reefs are great attractions to divers, who enjoy them while diving in an MPA. Photographer: Mark van Coller
Marine Protected Areas by Eve Marshall
Divers come from all over the world to experience the magnificent diving in Sodwana Bay in the Isimangaliso MPA. This boosts the local economy. Photographer: Eve Marshall
Marine Protected Areas by Dennis King
Research shows that fish in MPAs are usually larger and stronger than those in adjacent fished areas. Photographer: Dennis King
Marine Protected Areas by M. Rutzen
Whales, like this humpback whale, migrate through a number of our coastal MPAs. Photographer: M. Rutzen
Marine Protected Areas by Judy Mann
Most coastal MPAs are zoned for multiple uses. This ensure that local community members are able to access marine resources where appropriate. Photographer: Judy Mann
MPAs provide important areas for learning about nature, in nature. Photographer: Judy Mann
The magnificent Mkambathi Falls are one of the few waterfalls in the world that drop directly into the ocean. This spectacular natural wonder is found in the Pondoland MPA. Photographer: Judy Mann
Sodwana Bay is a popular site for divers in the iSimangaliso MPA. Photographer: Judy Mann
Issued on behalf of: The MPA Day Committee
Disseminated by: Olivia Jones Communications
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