South Africa’s Sardine Run
Every year, between the months of May and July, millions of silvery sardines travel/migrate north from the cold southern oceans off South Africa's Cape Point, hugging the shore as they make their way up along the coastlines of the former Transkei (northern Eastern Cape) and KwaZulu-Natal in what is commonly known as the annual Sardine Run.
About Sardines
Sardines, or pilchards, are common names used to refer to various small, oily fish within the herring family. Sardines are preeminent foraged fish. The term “forage fish” is a term used in fisheries, and is applied also to forage species that are not true fish e.g. Squid, but play a significant role as prey for predators.
Sardines feed mainly on plankton (miniature floating plants and animals). They may live as long as 14 years although 90% of the population comprises of fish younger than six years of age.
Sardines (Pilchards) are cold-water fish and are usually associated with areas of Cold Ocean upwelling, where deeper, cooler, nutrient-rich water currents surge to the surface when they strike shallow coastal areas. Sardines are commonly found in enormous shoals on the west coasts of Califor- nia and South America, as well as Japan, Australiaand, of course, southern Africa.
Sardines are commercially fished for a variety of uses:
for bait;
for immediate consumption;
for drying, salting, or smoking;
And for reduction into oil and Fish meal.
How they are caught:
Encircling nets
Purse seines
Modifiedtraps or weirs
Why do Sardines migrate?
Sardines spawn in the cool waters of the Agulhas Bank and move northward along the east coast
of South Africa
Research has been done into the migration but no one has yet come up with a definitive reason
why the sardines choose to make the long and perilous journey up the coast, nor do they under-
stand the instinct which drives a new generation towards the same precise location each year.
The reason why the Sardine Run spectacle occurs around inshore waters is because the cold
ocean current flows there, and further south, the warm Agulhas Current flows in the opposite di-
rection-and the sardines don’t like it.
Changes in conditions that influences Sardine presence
Certain environmental conditions will affect the Sardine Run. Some conditions may be more favourable than others for the migration to happen, listed below is a summary on favourable - and unfavourable conditions that effects the migration of sardines along the South African coast:
Favourable: Unfavourable:
Stable atmospheric conditions Turbid water
Decreasing sea surface temperature Increasing sea surface temperature
Calm current conditions Large swells
Light north-westerly land breeze Moderate north to south currents
The predators during the Sardine run
Dolphins, mostly the Common Dolphin are largely responsible for rounding up the sardines into
smaller groups called ‘bait balls’. These bait balls can be 10–20 meters in diameter and extend
to a depth of 10 meters, it seldom last longer than 10 minutes.
Once the sardines are rounded up, other predators take advantage of the opportunity:
Sharks ,primarily the Bronze Whaler, but also Dusky Shark, Grey Nurse Shark, Blacktip Shark, Shark, Ragged Tooth Shark and Zambezi Shark etc.)
Game fish (including Shad/Elf a.k.a. Bluefish, King Mackerel, Garrick, Geelbek and Eastern Lit- tle Tuna etc.)
Birds (like the Cape Gannet, cormorants, terns and gulls)
Mammal predators( like the Bryde’s whale)
African penguins
Cape Fur Seals follow the shoals up the eastern cape coastline
Does the Sardine Run hold any economic benefit?
Tourism – The recent interest in the sardine run has had significant impact on the local economy.
The run has become important to tourism and is considered to be one of the main attractions in
KwaZulu-Natal during the winter holiday period. Both local and international tourists are attracted
to the spectacle and are provided with opportunities to participate in activities such as dive char-
ters and boat based predator viewing tours.
Fishery – The sardine run also supports a small-scale, seasonal beach seine fishery.
Festivals-The KZN South Coast holds a 10-day Sardine Festival in July each year, with a hotline
number to help you track the shoals. They also throw in various other activities from a mountain
bike race and half-marathon to a jazz festival and Portuguese food and wine festival.
Fun facts about the ‘Sardine run’
The shoals are often more than 7 km long, 1.5 km wide and 30 meters deep and are clearly visi- ble from spotter planes or from the surface.
Sardines group together when they are threatened. This instinctual behaviour is a defence mech- anism, as lone individuals are more likely to be eaten than large groups.
Some years there appears to be no sardine run… This may be because it is not detected by coastal observers either because it actually does not occur due to high water temperatures and/ or other hydrographic barriers, or the migration may occur farther offshore and possibly deeper due to unusual conditions. Sardines are rich in vitamins and minerals. A small serving of sardines once a day can provide 13% of vitamin B2 roughly one-quarter of niacin, and about 150% of the recommended daily val- ue of vitamin B12. Sardines were named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.
Sardines are one of the world’s most important animals in terms of its role in the food chain yet we know so little about their migration. We need to help protect this animal and their phenomenal journey knows as The Sardine Run. ‘Sardine run’ Comprehension test
1) Name at least 3 uses for sardines? ______
2) Name 3 examples how the Sardine run help the local economy? ______3)True or False: The reason why the Sardine Run spectacle occurs around inshore waters is because the cold ocean current flows there, and Sardines prefer colder water.
4) List the favourable conditions fort he Sardine run - - - -
5) List the unfavourable condition for the Sardine run - - - - 6) True or False: Sardines spread out when threatened by predators.
7) Name at least types of predators the sardines might face while on their migration ______
8) Fill in the blanks: Dolphins, mostly the Common Dolphin are largely responsible for rounding up the sardines into smaller groups called ______. Every year, between the months of _____ and____, many millions of silvery sardines travel/migrate north…
9) What do Sardines mainly feed on?
10) Explain the reason why some years there appears to be no Sardine run?