hermanus Archives - The Sardine News

Posted on July 28, 2025July 28, 2025 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

NSRI News: Gordon’s Bay and Hermanus Incidents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSRI – STATION 9, Gordons Bay. STATION 17, Hermanus. STATION 19, Richards Bay.

NSRI – National – Monday, 28 July. Incidents – Gordons Bay, Hermanus, Richards Bay:

NATIONAL:

In 4 operations – A fishing craft, with 5 local fishermen onboard, was saved from sinking by NSRI Gordons Bay, offshore of Strand – A sailing yacht, with 2 crew onboard, was assisted by NSRI Gordons Bay after stranding on a sand bank near to Gordons Bay Harbour – A kite boarder, assisted by a Good Samaritan on a kayak on the Klein River Lagoon, were assisted ashore by NSRI Hermanus – and A sailing yacht, drifting shorewards with 7 crew onboard, was safely towed by NSRI Richards Bay to the Zululand Yacht Club in heavy sea conditions.

The swift response and cooperation of all involved in these operations is commended.

GORDONS BAY:

Brian Gosling, NSRI Gordons Bay duty coxswain, said:

At 09h30, Sunday, 27 July, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance made to NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) from a local fishing craft reporting motor mechanical failure offshore approximately 3 nautical miles from Gordons Bay Harbour, 2 nautical miles offshore of Strand, with 5 crew onboard.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Gordons Bay station 9 rescue base to prepare to launch the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Surfski.

While responding to our NSRI rescue base the fishermen reported that their craft was now taking on water from unknown causes and was at risk of sinking.

NSRI Simons Town were placed on alert to respond to assist if necessary.

NSRI Simons Town crew, at the NSRI Simons Town station 10 rescue base at the time, conducting routine training, readied the NSRI Simons Town rescue craft Donna Nicholas to respond to assist if it became necessary.

The NSRI Gordons Bay rescue craft Spirit of Surfski launched, accompanied with a water extrication pump.

With our NSRI rescue craft was nearing their location the casualty fishing crew deployed an orange distress smoke flare that aided us finding them swiftly.

We rendezvoused with the casualty vessel finding all 5 fishermen concerned but safe, all in good spirits and secured into their life-jackets, and appearing to be obviously relieved to have NSRI at their side.

3 of the fishermen were transferred onto our NSRI rescue craft and the remaining 2 fishermen, the skipper and a crewman, remained on their casualty craft assisting our NSRI crew to establish a towline.

While towing the casualty craft towards Gordons Bay Harbour the ingress of water that had accumulated onboard started to drain naturally preventing any further signs of sinking.

We towed the casualty craft to Gordons Bay Harbour, on reaching the harbour rafting our rescue craft alongside, successfully bringing their casualty craft into the harbour to the slipway where we assisted to recover the casualty craft onto their trailer and no further assistance was required.

NSRI Simons Town were notified that the rescue operation was successful and they resumed routine training exercises.

The operation was completed at 12h16.

GORDONS BAY:

Ryan Holmes, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:

On Friday, 25 July, in the early hours of the morning, NSRI Gordons Bay crew had noticed a sailing yacht offshore of Gordons Bay Harbour that later, as daylight broke, appeared to be attempting to enter the harbour.

Just offshore of the SA Naval College they grounded in shallow surf and the alarm was raised.

At 07h55, our duty crew responded to our NSRI Gordons Bay station 9 rescue base and launched the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 9 Charlie, accompanied by an extra anchor.

On arrival on the scene we assisted the 2 sailors to secure their sailing yacht using their anchor and using the extra anchor that we had brought along.

Once their sailing yacht safely secured the 2 sailors stayed onboard their yacht while we returned to base at around 11h00, and later, at high tide, at around 12h51, we launched the rescue craft, Spirit of Surfski, and in the high tide attempts were made to get their yacht into Gordons Bay Harbour.

It appears that from the grounding of their sailing yacht their rudder had sustained damage disabling their ability to navigate.

Using our rescue craft we rigged a towline, NSRI crew were deployed onto their sailing yacht to assist, and we towed them into Gordons Bay Harbour mooring them at our NSRI rescue base where they will attend to repairs.

The operation was completed at 15h09.

HERMANUS:

James van Rensburg, NSRI Hermanus deputy station commander, said:

At 15h10, Friday, 25 July, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a kite-boarder appearing to be in difficulties on the Klein River Lagoon.

It appeared that the kite-boarder was drifting, unable to get her kite airborne.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Hermanus station 17 rescue base and dispatched our rescue vehicle, towing our NSRI craft Rescue 17 Bravo, while NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the scene.

A man, a Good Samaritan on a holiday from Plattekloof to Hermanus, on his kayak, had paddled out to assist the 54 year old female.

On arrival on the scene our rescue craft was launched and assisted the kite-boarder and the Good Samaritan, with his kayak, back to shore without incident and no further assistance was required.

The Good Samaritan that assisted, who, with his wife, were also the eyewitnesses that raised the alarm and remained in contact with NSRI while we were responding, giving regular updated information, are commended for their assistance.

RICHARDS BAY:

Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, said:

At 23h36, Friday, 25 July, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and NSRI Richards Bay were alerted to reports, from OSASA (Ocean Sailing Association of South Africa) and from the Commodore of the Zululand Yacht Club of a sailing yacht in difficulties North of Richards Bay.

It appears that the local sailing yacht, with 7 crew onboard, had departed Richards Bay 2 weeks ago heading Northwards when they experienced motor mechanical failure and they had turned around, returning towards Richards Bay, but nearing Richards Bay, against strong South Westerly winds, gusting in excess of 15 knots and in 3 to 4 meter rough sea swells, they requested assistance 15 nautical miles North of Richards Bay – about 4 nautical miles offshore of the lighthouse.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Richards Bay station 19 rescue base where the NSRI rescue craft Ocean Guardian was launched.

On arrival on the scene a towline was rigged and we towed them into the Port of Richards Bay to a safe berth at the Zululand Yacht Club and they required no further assistance.

The operation completed at 03h38.

-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

RELEASED BY

Craig Lambinon
NSRI COMMUNICATIONS

Email: communications@searescue.org.za | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | nsri.org.za

Sardines and Sighting Maps

Follow the 2025 Sardine Run Map!

You can also download our app to your phone or device, accept notifications, and you will never miss a single sardine.

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! And a UFO!

Here are the links to existing and past Sardine Sighting Maps…

2025 Sardine Map

2024 Sardine Map

2023 Sardine Map

2022 Sardine Map

2021 Sardine Map

Channels

Brucifire Surf Retorts – highly entertaining surf reporting

Master Watermen – news from way down deep

The Sardine News – neva miss a single sardine

FishBazaruto – 1000 pounds plus

MYDO Tackle Talk – highly technical sport fishing

Surf Launching Southern Africa – getting out there safely

Water Woes – complain about your municipality here

Websites

umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za – will get you right out and onto the edge
thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
masterwatermen.co.za – news from under water
fishbazaruto.com – dreams
brucifire.co.za – surf retorts

Posted on January 23, 2025January 23, 2025 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

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.

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.

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