Category: Wild Coast

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Trawler spotted trawling at Mdumbi!

Trawler Watch 2017: Fishing Trawler spotted trawling at Mdumbi!

Trawler spotted trawling at Mdumbi!

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!
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 Umzumbe
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.

#15 Frozen Seafood Mix

Ingredients: Squid Rings/ Tentacles/ Strips/Cut/Head, Octopus Cut/Strip, Baby Octopus, Mussels meat, Shrimps, etc.

Glazing: 0-20%, Package: 24 *1 lb.

#1 Sardine 6-10 pcs/kg Market / Bait

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?

Trawler Watch 2017: Fishing Trawler spotted trawling at Mdumbi!Sardine Report 8 July 2016 The Coast Guard on patrol for foreign poachers off Mdumbi in the deep Transkei

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.

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Caught at sea in a cut off low storm

Caught at sea in a cut off low storm

Our current weather scenario prompted a rewrite of an old favourite yarn. It was first published in 1992.

“It had been a long day, way back in 1992, and we had not caught too much. Stubbornly we anchored off Boboyi, in the 26 metre area, to see if we could find a daga salmon or a geelbek. And we had to wait a bit longer for some water to come into the bay.
On board were the three of us Langes, Dad, Marc and myself. And guest that day, and many other days those days, was Brian Davey – the inventor of the MYDO.
Having been fishing hard all day, I was over it. But I also sensed something else going on around us. The atmosphere was electric. The sky around us was brown. The sea unruly. Looking to the south I could see no problem. Weather from the south is what normally catches us out.
I went up and over to the bow, ready to pull the anchor, when it was time. I was calling it, suggesting more than once we go. Marc is a bottomfishing loon like my Dad, and Brian Davey has also been known to raid the odd reef. Not I. So the three of them upped and downed until finally the tide gave reprieve and my Dad called “lines up”.
Weighing our anchor on the big old Niteshift wasn’t always smooth sailing, but this day we managed to drag it free with only one circle. I was pulling and Marc was packing the rope fast as we could go. I looked up.
And I saw it.
A plume of spray and water was being blasted right out of the Umzimkulu River mouth and a kilometre out to sea in front of us. Windsurfers, umbrellas and deck chairs cartwheeled through the sky. Towels and things were flying past. It was as if a giant fire hose was sticking out into the ocean.
Instantly the skies went black. A raging wind blew from every direction. Lightning struck the water all around us. The thunder and the wind combined in a crescendo above which we could not talk – only scream. Rain drops stung at every part of us.
My Dad put my diving goggles on. We flattened all out graphite composite rods on the deck. And Brian Davey. And everything else. Anything else was thrown into the cabin or it blew away. We could only move along at about 4 or 5 knots, and we could not see anything at all. It was like being caught in a dark forest, we never knew which way was land – even the compass was spinning wildly. We hammered on hoping for northwards, the sea was not big but it was violent. Hard to hold on. We radioed Pan Pan warnings over and over – to warn the other guys who operate south, from out of Shelley Beach.
And then it was gone. In an instant, this monster just upped and left. But headed straight to Shelley Beach where boats were still on Protea and many waiting on the backline to get in. It hit them full force with winds at Force 7. Mowed them down. And then kept going.
Building momentum and now officially a “cut off low”, the storm raged through the Transkei, seriously damaging and/or sinking 6 ships, some on anchor, on it’s way to into Cape Town, where it turned the corner and traveled north, terrorising as far up as Lamberts Bay, until it petred out.”

And yes, the storm lambasting Cape Town now and the rest of the coast since it’s inception on Sunday/Monday, is a type 1A Cut Off Low storm. Rare in that they are somehow tied to the el Nino phenomenon, and appear every 5 to 7 years. On the south coast I have endured three of these absolutely crazy storms.  Fortunately I missed a few. Including this one – I am in Tofinho, Mozambique today. Where the weather is a bit untoward, the wind swinging slowly from north east to southerly onshore. We shall keep you posted as to what the effects have been up this side, of our awesome July 2016 cut off low.

Gallery and video by Jay Steenkamp

Cut off low conditions over Port Shepstone

And another great video by Jay…

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Sardine Run Report 1 July 2016

Sardines at Sunwich Port, on the lower south coast of KZN Natall

Sardine Run Report 1 July 2016

For a Sardine Run Report 1 July 2016, we have a few tidbits of encouraging information, from our undercover Sardine Agents, way down in the Transkei.

Robbie van Wijk is the deepest undercover, way down in Mdumbi. Where he has reported sporadic sardine activity, coming right into the bay at times. And then at Luandile around the bluff, and at Presley’s, sardines really put on a show for two days in a row, coming right in close, but not beaching. Shad and garrick were hammering the shoals and fishermen were hooked up all along the beach simultaneously. The staple breakfast of fresh shad has not stopped in the Mdumbi area for a while now. Robbie has also noted some great garrick and kob catches being made by locals and visitors alike.

Then moving up the coast, we have Debbie Smith and Rob Nettleton of Offshore Africa, in Port St. Johns. They are out to sea and in the water every day possible, and are having a great Sardine Run once again. It pays to be so far down the coast – getting in on the action so much earlier. Debbie reports that there are many, many shoals of sardines, but that they are scattered far and wide – all over the ocean. The predators seem not to be too interested, so maybe it’s that moon again. It’s not ideal for fish activity right now, but as the moon disappears this weekend – the stars may line up. She also reports 22 degrees water, with visibility varying between 6 and 10 metres, on their dives with sharks.

Then Jay Steenkamp works the area from Margate into the Transkei, connecting the dots for us. He has reported the usual shoals and shoals of baitfish. Mackerel, red eyes, and maasbanker, big and small, just everywhere. He has not reported in any sightings of sardines yet, but he feels the conditions are coming right day by day. He gets to fly in the NSB plane. Nothing gets past Jay. Not even the waves.

The Roosta in Umzumbe reported also that shad fishermen up and down were having a great time breaking the law and making a mess of the beaches. And the only sardines he saw were the ones strewn about the beach and rocks, still in plastic and boxes. Sies man.

Jason Heyne in the greater Durban area, also has his ear to the reef. Check out his informing and invaluably inspiring weekly spearfishing report, right here on thesardine.co.za, every week. Nothing to report. Yet.

And there we have it, as far as the sardines are concerned, we are on it with accurate and reliable reporting from all over a wide coverage area.

Check back soon…

And in the meantime – this is how we do The Sardine News, when it all goes down…flying with Captain John Marshall…Click HERE for fun!

 

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#RebuildJungleMonkey

#RebuildJungleMonkey

JungleMonkey_Ad

Any of us who have had the sheer pleasure of eating and partying at The Jungle Monkey in Port St. Johns, will have been reeling at the news, that the place burnt down.

Yip, a fire in the kitchen brough the bar, the restaurant, and the office down in flames.

Fortunately, the main house and all accommodation survived. Nobody got injured. But the loss is devastating and all has to be rebuilt from scratch.

This is a chance to pitch in and help – a financial donation from each of us will go far in helping The Jungle Monkeys get their place of work back in order and producing the amazing food, live entertainment, cold beer, hot coffee and laughs and smiles we all get from being at The Jungle Monkey.

Please click on over to their website, to see the damages, and pitch in!

Use #rebuildjunglemonkey wherever you can please!

Thank YOU!

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Diving With Sharks!

Diving With Sharks!

Diving With Sharks! Debbie Smith aka The Shark Lady, has recently launched her brand new website and online campaign at http://divingwithsharks.co.za.

Incredible imagery leads to Debbie’s underwater options – the current favourite being The Sardine Run as we move into the sardine migration season – when they swim up the East Coast of Africa.

Millions of sardines head north on a kamikaze mission as they are hammered to pieces by all kinds of underwater predators. Dolphins. Seals. Gannets. Whales. And sharks. Plenty!

The Sardine Run trips by Diving With Sharks, in association with Offshore Africa Port St. Johns, are run from out of the Uzmzimvubu River on the Transkei Wild Coast. Rob Nettleton and Debbie Smith have been operating in this area – the best place to get to the sardine shoals and baitballs, as they come up from the southern ocean, for a decade now.

Diving With Sharks also operate up north in KZN waters – Aliwal Shoal and Protea Reef being hot spots, and where Debbie learned her skills as shark tamer. That’s her in the picture below! Note how Debbie holds her hands and arms close to her body – less to bite onto for the odd curious shark, that come in so close.

Click on over to Diving With  Sharks for more info or to book a Sardine Run experience – accommodation and all, with Debbie and Rob.

A taste of what can be found on http://divingwithsharks.co.za…