Tag: sardines

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Cintsa Sardine Show 28 May 2024

Gannets at The Cintsa Sardine Show as captured by Nicole

Cintsa Sardine Show 28 May 2024

Cintsa Sardine Show 28 May 2024: Elton from GoDive reports a spectacular showing of sardines and predators off Cintsa yesterday.

Which was duly photographed by Nicolene Olckers. From DANSA as can be seen below…

We also were lucky enough to receive some video from the GoDive crew. Mark Graham took a video camera down under the sardines to get some radical shots of common dolphins doing what they do best. Obliterating a baitball of sardines with cunning and teamwork.

This is real wild life!

Sardine Sightings Map

Click the link below to pop on over to our annual Sardine Sightings Map. Where each validated sighting is recorded on an interactive map.

2024 Sardine Sightings Map

The Sardine News runs on many platforms and channels. Our YouTube channel receives the news as a priority so this is definitely where you need to subscribe to be first with the news. The videos then go into the news website at https://thesardine.co.za and from there to FaceBook and the like.

You can check out our other channels and websites below.

Affiliated YouTube Channels

https://youtube.com/@Brucifire – entertaining surf reporting

https://youtube.com/@thesardinenews – neva miss out

https://youtube.com/@mydotackletalk – highly technical sport fishing

https://youtube.com/@surflaunchingsouthernafrica – getting out there safely

https://youtube.com/@waterwoes – complain here

Affiliated websites

https://umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
https://umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za – sardine run coming up
https://thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
https://masterwatermen.co.za – news from deep down
https://brucifire.co.za – surf and conditions reporting
https://fishbazaruto.com – your dreams are out there
https://mydofishinglures.co.za – technical sport fishing

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A Foreign Fishing Fleet Gathers Before Sardine Run 2024

Leave our Sards Alone Foreign Fishing Fleet

A Foreign Fishing Fleet Gathers Before Sardine Run 2024

A Foreign Fishing Fleet Gathers before Sardine Run 2024: it’s not all good news here at The Sardine News. An armada of foreign and unidentifiable fishing boats has been gathering just outside our internationally recognised waters. And slap bang in the middle of the sardine migratory path.

Hundreds of them.

AIS Identification

These vessels are all however still sporting their AIS transponders (the law) as they try to secret about in keen anticipation of robbing the natural resource from right out under our noses.

Some of the boats are identifiable on the AIS system. But about 95 % are labelled grey. Which means we don’t know where they come from. And it’s too far to send a boat to go and take a look. Hundreds of Nautical Miles out.

Please take a close look at the situation by following the link below. It will open in a new window. You can look about and become familiar with the extent of the problems both the sardines and we are facing.

MarineTraffic: Global Ship Tracking Intelligence | AIS Marine Traffic

The plate below is zoomed right in over the area where about half the mystery fleet are milling about. In some kind of pattern or formation. We can only hope that they are not catching all the sardines already!

Aerial Surveillance

This is the only way we will ever document the fishing as evidence and move to do something about it. If the Chinese or any other foreign fishing fleet is damaging our economy and tourism industry by robbing us of this resource, then we best do something about it. The days of being complacent and relying on the government ended in the mid-90s. The ANC has no will to achieve anything except maximise profits through Luthuli House and its business puppets.

For all we know right now, these particular powers that – be could be fully aware of this fleet gathering at the moment. And they could be sanctioning, and profiting from it. We will not know unless we find out ourselves.

We then need to lobby until we find the right person. And then help that person to do the job. This is the only way it works these days. Any assistance would be appreciated! Please send information to Sean on umzimkulu@gmail.com if you have something to contribute to the mission. There used to be sardine runs all around the UK. Ireland. Scotland. There are none there now.

My gut feel is that because it is all happening outside our internationally recognised waters, it’s open season on the poor sards. Unless we can use international law to stop the depletion of this resource. By arguing that the value of the sardines to our tourism industry, far outweighs the value that these foreign ships will get by killing the whole lot. Any potential PHDs interested? Probably not.

Dreams are free. And so are the nightmares in between…

“NEVA buy SARDS in a CAN! You are supporting the demise of your very own sardine run if you do this. Tuna too. Don’t do it. ” – Xonalanga (Editor)

Affiliated YouTube Channels

https://youtube.com/@Brucifire – entertaining surf reporting

https://youtube.com/@thesardinenews – neva miss out

https://youtube.com/@mydotackletalk – highly technical sport fishing

https://youtube.com/@surflaunchingsouthernafrica – getting out there safely

https://youtube.com/@waterwoes – complain here

Affiliated websites

https://umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
https://umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za – sardine run coming up
https://thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
https://masterwatermen.co.za – news from deep down
https://brucifire.co.za – surf and conditions reporting
https://fishbazaruto.com – your dreams are out there
https://mydofishinglures.co.za – technical sport fishing

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GANNETS! 2nd Sardine Report for 2024 from Kevin Qora

Gannets in 2024 Sardine Report Number Two

GANNETS! 2nd Sardine Report for 2024 from Kevin Qora

GANNETS! 2nd Sardine Report for 2024 from Kevin Qora: big thanks to Kevin in Qora for yet another report…

Kevin in Qora is keeping us on the edge of our seats as he scans the horizon north and south for signs of the incoming sardine migration. Kevin is perfectly situated in the deep south of the Transkei Wild Coast. In a beautiful place called Qora.

Kevin has splashed through many sardine runs throughout his illustrious fishing life. Along with Kevin, our network of sardine spies extends far and wide.

But we welcome any news of sightings, especially with video.

Please submit your videos or photos to umzimkulu@gmail.com and if you would like to credited, or get some exposure for your business, include a logo and a link and let’s see what we can do together.

The Sardine News Sightings Map for 2024 is being prepared at the moment and will launch within the next few days. On this map we log all verified and meaningful sightings as they occur. You can reliably use this map to plan your next sardine ambush or holiday destination.

Keep an eye out at the following hotspots for this time of the year…

Usually in these areas…

Mossel Bay

This is one of the sardine’s favourite first landing areas. Shoals can be seen way out to sea on flat, glassy days. Moving north slowly as they gather momentum and numbers.

Plettenberg Bay experiences similar action early on in the season.

Port Elizabeth

By the time they gather here, the congregation will have grown heaps. And so will the predator population that follows them. Diver operators get in on the action real early all this way down south.

More and more sardines will start to form huge shoals at this time of the run.

East London

Another favourite check-in to the sardine run for sardines. With even more predators gathering.

Port Alfred

Every year, consistently, Port Alfred receives a lot of sardine attention early.

Transkei

With Kevin in Qora reporting that gannets are already on the scene, feeding and rafting, we are pretty certain that some pilot shoals are sneaking through. These first sardines get absolutely obliterated and it just so much fun to watch.

Affiliated YouTube Channels

https://youtube.com/@waterwoes – complain here

https://youtube.com/@thesardinenews – neva miss out

https://youtube.com/@mydotackletalk – highly technical sport fishing

https://youtube.com/@Brucifire – entertaining surf reporting

https://youtube.com/@surflaunchingsouthernafrica – getting out there safely

Affiliated websites

https://umzimkulu.co.za – self-catering right on the Umzimkulu River
https://umzimkuluadrenalin.co.za – sardine run coming up
https://thesardine.co.za – never miss a single sardine
https://masterwatermen.co.za – news from deep down
https://brucifire.co.za – surf and conditions reporting
https://fishbazaruto.com – your dreams are out there

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First Sards of 2024!

First Sardines Report of the Season Team MYDO 2024

First Sardines of 2024!!

First Sardines of 2024! Yes, we are all about the sardines here at The Sardine News. And when there are no sardines, we fill in the gaps with salty news from all along our magnificent seaboard.

Enjoy the video…and a lot more to follow…

Today we start in Mozambique where the good weather has just kicked in. The fishing is great. The water is warm and clear. And there have been non-stop waves since we arrived a week ago. It’s been challenging getting this report out here in Moz but it came together ok I think.

Kevin in Qora reports that his ocean is alive and well. And is hosting the migrating humpback whales already! They are on their merry way north and we might start seeing them all along the coastline soon.

The Bear of Master Watermen reports good fishing and good conditions in and around the greater Durban area. Lots of couta up north and some big ones at that.

Then we head to Morgans Bay where we have had a solid sighting of sardines being hammered to pieces. By dolphins, birds and gamefish. Very exciting and exactly what we have been waiting for!

A quick surf report by Brucifire in Jeffreys Bay leads us to Team MYDOs first couta of the season. Way down here off Port Shepstone on the KZN South Coast. It was taken on a MYDO swimming a walla-walla.

Please don’t forget to Like and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

Thank YOU!

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Sardines caught off Port Edward!

Sardines caught off Port Edward!

Sardines caught off Port Edward!

Sardines caught off Port Edward!: officially confirmed catching of 10 sardines!

Report in from Sardine Spy in Port Edward: “Fished yesterday Sean, got 10 sards in amongst the redeyes. With some lovey bottom fish too”

So there they are – the first 10 sardines in KZN this sardine run 2022!

This mornings report

This was today’s AM sardine report, as updated on the Sardine Sightings Map 2022…

15 June 2022: sea conditions coming right too!

“Big south swell arrived last night. SW wind pumping today. Some small shoals evident out deep. I think the conditions are right for shoal movement over the next few days.” – Qhora Mouth Sardine Spy

Sardines like rough seas and big winds – for travelling. Especially big SW winds. When the swells jack up – the water aerates with all that surface interaction with the atmosphere. Maybe they even surf a few of those swells to fight against the current? Either way, this is ALL very good news as the perfect sardine conditions requirements are being checked off one by one.

  • water below 19 degrees – cold water is moving up the east coast, just as we need it to
  • clean water – the current has kicked into full gear and is sweeping the poison soup away
  • rough seas – always precede the shoals

Many trigger-happy posters are claiming sardines close by. But once again, not a single sardine has been caught yet.

The dive charter operations in the Transkei have kicked off operations recently and finally, we might get some close-ups from them.

Finally

So well spell has been broken and you can definitely start doing sardine patrols down to the lower south coast reaches.

When you come down this way, and you feel like something completely different to eat, join us at The Port Captain for an Egyptian eating experience. And if you are after fun accommodation right on the water – The Umzimkulu Marina and Spillers House are open for business. And Umzimkulu Adrenalin can get you right out there!

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