Jay Steenkamp Sardine Super Spy in Margate today, offers the following no Sardine report 6 July 2017…
“Our plane flew yesterday morning. There was no activity so we have put back all the shark nets – as it’s holiday season now. Even today, the only action is whales in the deep, moving north. Sea temp here is 21 degrees so it’s still very warm. Swell has dropped to about 3ft but the viz has improved finally.” – Jay Steenkamp in Margate today the 6 July 2017
However, on a recent boat trip down the Transkei Wild Coast, Jay was lucky enough to come across a huge pod of dolphins cruising north and also evidently in search of the sardines. This was but a few days back and shows the patient dolphins, but ends off in an inspiring moment of sardine frenzy, as the gannet brigade come falling out of the air and down into the ocean after hapless sardines.
Enjoy the picture show…
The gannets are a display in themselves, they actually swim around underwater choosing sardines as if they were in a sardine supermarket. One by one. And more than one at a time.
The guys at Offshore have also been quiet. After their epic run of sardine baitball action, they must be on their toes searching for the next shoals. Presumably and hopefully the BIG shoals we are all talking about, and waiting for. Often this pause in the action, is part of the lead up to the great event. Sometimes this only happens in August and even into September!
In the meantime, the shad are still committing suicide with no Ezimvelo to counsel them out of it. The DAFF (DOFF) boys seem to enjoy fish genocide and are seemingly completely uninterested in the slaughter going on.
It’s open season. No policing anywhere. Buckets of shad being poached by the public.
Our deep undercover sardine spy Robbie van Wijk reports of an alleged trawler spotted trawling at Mdumbi just yesterday! Could this be one of the three “legal” ships (Japanese with permits from the totally ineffectual DAFF), that have been spotted up and down all over? Robbie just has this photo for proof.
Fishing Trawler spotted trawling at Mdumbi!
The trawler had nets out and was heading NE, at trawling speed!
Targeting sardines no doubt! But imagine the destruction they are causing to the reefs and eco-system! Trawls carry the most destructive fishing equipment known to man. And are illegal in most places. They are most likely purse seine fishing, but still – WHOSE FISH ARE THEY?! The Japanese’? And who is policing their methods?
And there is more, when I contact DAFF (Department of Forestry and Fisheries or whatever), they could NOT TELL ME WHERE TO REPORT this type of suspicious activity!
We checked the AIS system (a global map of every legitimate ship on the planet – please check it out at http://marinetraffic.com – such important information to cross reference with), only to find that the “legal” Japanese KOEI MARU No. 1 was in fact off Durban. And the only other boats in the area where Robbie spotted the trawler, are a patrol boat (weirdly enough – full of gunmen as reported by AIS – could be the Sarah Baardman – hopefully), and another unpurposed one, as far as AIS is fed this information. The MSC Rania (not guilty of anything I assure), was the only other vessel reporting itself, for hundreds of miles up and down.
So, a ship without it’s AIS system on. That surely is a guilty ship.
It was a very ironic post that Robbie made from Mdumbi last year this time. It says it all in one photograph. How far did these “South African” sardines travel, before going on sale, back where they came from? I know Lucky Star is a local brand, but are they catching these fish? Is this their boat? Then why the Japanese and Chinese boats? With permits? From our very own DAFF?! (DOFF).
Lucky Star South African Sardines spotted off Umdumbi
I have been receiving offers for fresh frozen sardines in my inbox (someone spammed me with a subscription to this seafood industry bunch, so I play along, to keep getting the info), way before the sardine season even though of starting. In fact back in January and February were my first emails received – selling by the tonne!
Enjoy the read…
Dear Sir,
Good morning.
We now have several containers’ products coming soon, please kindly advise, thanks.
Product Name: Frozen W/R Sardine for Market / Bait purpose
Specification: 6-10 pcs/kg, BQF, Light Purse Seine, Land Frozen
#2 Sardine 6-10 pcs/kg Canning
Product Name: Frozen W/R Sardine for Canning purpose
Specification: 6-10 pcs/kg, BQF, Trawl, Land Frozen
#3 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 8-10 pcs/kg Market
Product Name: Frozen W/R Scad (Horse Mackerel) for Market purpose
Specification: 8-10 pcs/kg, BQF, Light Purse Seine, Land Frozen
Kindly let us know the name of your destination port. More products information including pictures and price will be sent according to your respond.
Thanks and warmly regards.
I accept that most of this seafood is likely not from our waters. But who is to tell?
And a few more pics of Mdumbi, by Robbie van Wijk, showing the beauty of the place’s waters that we need to protect from exploitation by few, against the will of the public whole. One shot featuring the Sarah Baardman on patrol, about a month back. That is one mean boat and they would know about every ship for a thousand miles around, just with their own equipment, let alone AIS. So hopefully they have their orders to chase and apprehend, as they did last year, with three captures out of nine reported incursions, by foreign vessels. Or are they just on parade?
Ok, but there is something we can do. Since we are the culprits in the first place.
Yes, it’s us.
The buyers of canned fish. We pay for those ships. We pay those politicians their bribes. We pay for the destruction. We even pay for the Sarah Baardman, through taxes! We are paying for both sides?!
And only we can stop the mayhem. By not buying tinned fish. Ever again. No sardines. No tuna. No mackerel. No Anchovies. Etc…
Take the power back!
You would be doing so much good, on so many levels.
A combined shad and sardine report for this 3 July 2017. Been getting plenty requests for information on the shad and their whereabouts this year. Well it’s an easy one – they are everywhere! The further south into the Transkei is where you have a better chance of catching then big ones, but otherwise, the smallies have swept through like locusts and are literally on every reef and beach.
Headlands and points like The Block at Port Shepstone were carpeted with anglers who literally set up for the day. Braais and skottels. Cooler Boxes. Umbrellas.
BUT NO GREEN MEN!
Nope, there is absolutely NO representation of the LAW whatsoever. Anywhere!
Handing the mantel of such an important job to DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) has been the biggest disaster for shad and other sensitive marine animals, EVER. The experienced Ezimvelo, who have been policing the shad anglers for decades and decades, and have amassed loads of experience – even down to knowing individuals, have been FIRED.
And in their place are DAFF officials.
I have never seen ONE yet?! In amongst thousands of anglers up and down the KZN South Coast, not ONE!
Buckets of shad are being hauled away as fast as they are being caught. It is so sad to the public at large taking such advantage of a delicate situation. And when next year comes, and the next, and there are no shad again, they will be the ones bitching too!
There are people selling shad all along the N2 Durban to Port Edward.
As for the sardines, they seem to have benefited from some protection this year, and were allowed past Port Elizabeth! Offshore Africa in Port ST. Johns report sardines EVERYWHERE! The screen snap (featured image) of the fish finder / echo sounder, was taken by Rob out off The Transkei this morning.
Sardine Spy Jay Steenkamp compiled this piece of news yesterday…with cool gallery depicting from whence the news comes. Nice and deep in the Transkei…
Howzit. Still loads of Bottlenose Dolphins moving north along backline. In the deep lots of whales moving north. For the last 3 days and this morning Port St John’s has been very active. Let’s hope we get a decent cold front to push them up. The sea temp has dropped to 18 so that’s good news.
The Elephant Seal in the pic, about the size of a big rotweiler, must have been on some kind of mission when he pitched up here on the KZN South Coast. And posed for Jay.
Also from Offshore Africa in Port St Johns, came reports of Skipjack Tuna joining the frey. This is great news – skipjack are fiesty fighters with bad manners around the boat too. Great to throw little MYDO spoons at, with your 20lb braid filled spinning outfit. They also come close to shore and can easily be cast to from the rocks, especially at places like Orange Rocks or the Margate Pier.
This years Sardine Reporting has been sponsored by Pelagic Fishing Gear available at Fishings Finest, in Pretoria. You can also order online, from their very cool website at http://fishingsfinest.co.za
Well it’s a no sardine report for today the 29 June 2017…things have gone quiet up and down. Sporadic appearances of shoals of Banana Beach and Umzumbe mean they are still about, just swimming down deep where it’s safer? Maybe it’s the excellent surf and calm conditions that are allowing them to take refuge like this.
Except of course Port St. Johns! Sardines everywhere out deep. Where ace operators – Offshore Africa – are right in on the action. Rob Nettleton and his team have been doing the sardine run experience for over a decade now, and really have their finger on the pulse. They are an integral part of The Sardine Report each year.
Together with the fabulously talented (and brave) Janine Marx, have been getting some of the most amazing and noteworthy footage.
THESE IMAGES WERE FROM TODAY!
Sardine report 29 June 2017 Imagery by Janine Marx
These guys down in Port St. Johns are so serious about sardines, they even have a Gyrocopter scouting from the skies each day possible.
Sardine spotter “Tzulu”Dowsett will be piloting this awesome machine as he searches the seas for sardines and their predators
But aside from the sporadic but inspiring few nets thrown last week – it has gone sardine run characteristically quiet for now.
Don’t panic however. This happens. And now things can get really exciting as elusive shoals slip through the proverbial net, and surprise the crowd by popping up way further north than expected.
Our Natal Sharks Board spy Jay Steenkamp is also out and about – he even has an aeroplane at his disposal – and is most times the very first with the news, as he was in Scottburgh, last week. He patrols the entire coastline from Durban all the way to the Eastern Cape for sardines each year. He has been very quiet today.
Log back in soon or stay tuned to the horizon near you!
