The once a year event: South Africa's Sardine Run
If you are in South Africa between the months of May and July, there is one event you don’t want to miss: the yearly sardine run! If you come to watch this spectacular event, you have to come and say hello, as it all happens right here on our doorstep!
It is true what they say: that it is the “greatest shoal on earth." It is the time of year when locals, tourists, sharks, dolphins, predatory fish, and swarms of birds arrive at the same time, catching those billions of these tiny silver fish. All in all, it is an unforgettable feast of protein that fills many stomachs, not to mention the wallets.
This phenomenon, which is the only one of its kind in the world, happens when the sardines gather together and swim from the bottom along the east coast, then leave the coast by Mozambique and move further east into the Indian Ocean after warmer waters. It is the largest migration, oh yes, even bigger than the 1.5 million wildebeest “trek” in Serengeti, the flamingo migration of Tanzania, and the "The Gathering” of elephants in Sri Lanka.
It all starts at the Agulhas Bank, which is where the cold Atlantic Ocean and the warm Atlantic Ocean meet. This is at the southern tip of Africa and then also South Africa. From there, the sardines group themselves together in a large school of millions as a defense mechanism. These schools are often kilometers long and wide. We have a wonderful name for them, “bait balls.”
From the Agulhas Bank, the migration takes place deeper in the ocean. When it reaches the eastern coast of South Africa, especially the province we live in, KwaZulu Natal, it changes. The schools of sardines now swim closer to the shore.
In many parts of the region, the shark nets need to be lifted to prevent sharks from getting stuck. One thing that is taboo is bathing, and one thing that is not is catching these sardines. As soon as the word spread that the first sardines are spotted, locals starts to prepare for the event.
On arrival, it is truly something to be seen.
Young, and old, of all colors and races, gather on the beaches to catch the sardines. Best of all, you don’t need a large net; if you have a bucket or a plastic bag, you can be certain that you will catch a few.
“Where are the sardines now?” are words trending in all our WhatsApp groups. Thanks to our friends at ASFN Fishing, who are regularly updating us on where the shoals are moving next. A big shoutout for the incredible work they are doing and for the clip and photos taken from it.
Soon you will see post advertising selling sardines per dozen, +/- 20 STEEM per dozen. There is no denying that the sardine run boasts the local economy as it provides a great number of tourist attractions, dolphins, and shark sightings.
What has become noticeable over the last couple of years is that this is now happening later in the year. This is due to climate warming.
Over the six decades, this has meant the date has changed from arrivals as early as mid-June at the beginning of the record to dates as late as mid-July in the last decade. We found that over the 66-year period, sardines arrived off the coast of Durban increasingly late – at a rate of 1.3 days later per decade.
Reported by the University of the Witwatersrand.
I can remember the sardine run being part of my life from a very young age. As the weather is so much warmer on the eastern coast, my parents used to bring us here for the winter school holidays. There was nothing nicer than a sardine “braai” barbeque right on the beach.
Today, we celebrate Father’s Day in South Africa, and there will be no better way to celebrate it than with a sardine braai, the Portuguese way, with lots of garlic, chili, and lemon juice.
My recipe for Portuguese sardines
1 dozen whole sardines
¼ cup olive oil
¼ pitted olives (pitted and chopped)
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped parsley
Chili to taste
The juice of 1 lemon
Himalayan salt (grinded)
Mix all the ingredients, except the lemon juice, together. Place the sardines in the marinade and store them overnight in the fridge.
All that is left is to grill the sardines the next day on an open fire while you coat them with the leftover marinade, to which you have now added the lemon juice.
It is super yummy with boiled garlic potatoes, lemon rice, or even a fresh garden salad.
“What do you need to solve the climate crisis? The answer is, everyone.”
— Katharine Hayhoe
Reading the beginning part of your post, I was thinking the cluster of fish was at a particular section in the Atlantic Ocean, I never suspected that it was so close to the shores that people can even use buckets to go fetch them…
This is the same fish that is now so expensive getting it in Nigeria..
The sardine immigration is something just out of this world.
Why they come closer to shore in the province where I live, nobody can tell. There were also 3 years that no run was seen. Why?
This is nature. It will never stop amazing us.
PS: Next year, you will have to come here and stock up. (•ิ‿•ิ)
I definitely will… 😊
Good! (•ิ‿•ิ)
Seeing these abundant of fish on the shore, it is obvious that a large number of shoal of fishes has migrated to another region following the ocean currents that occur when cold water and warm meet. The recipe for Portuguese sardines seems simple to prepare from your explanation and I can imagine how tasty it would be. Great article ma!
It is... YUMMY!
And you are right, it is easy to make.
It is better than KFC as it is "Flippen finger lickin good!" (•ิ‿•ิ)
Thank you for the visit!
Amazing news, this can improve fishermen's finances, we know fishermen will have difficulty finding fish and they will even be willing to drown. But after looking deeper, it was quite easy to catch fish there. Just standing on the beach holding a bucket. Wow, it's going to be full. Many buckets became a fight for sardines. I've seen sardines in packages from traders, sardines are a food that contains more protein and oil. It is suitable for maintaining our health. I read so well mam🤭. The sardine event in South Africa reminded us a lot. Because it was a great event.
It is one spectacular event!
Sardines, or pilchards, as we also know, are loved by many South Africans. Not only to eat but for bait.
I was told that over 600 tons are caught each year with the sardine run. Now that is a lot of fish!
Thank you! I appreciate the visit and the engagement.
If really these types of events are held constantly, it will quite be better and very useful
Oh yes! I agree and I am sure many other South Africans will agree with you.
These types of events are really quite powerful and it is really capable of Sustaining a whole lot of things actually
Indeed! I think there are plenty who wish it was not only once a year but more often. (•ิ‿•ิ)
Wow, that was a very exciting day, I have never seen so many sardines before, because our place is relatively far from sea level, are the sardines stranded or vice versa?
Thank you for the visit and the engagement.
The sardines mainly swim just behind the backline, where the waves are formed. What however happens is that because they swim so close to the surface, they are often caught in the waves, and then they swim where they can be caught by nets, etc., or either wash out. It is not strange to see sharks also swimming in the shallow waters.
You are right that sardines swim where waves form, so they can avoid predatory fish
Often they are not so lucky (•ิ‿•ิ)
Anda benar, ☕☕
Saya melihat ikan ini begitu banyak sekali tuan mungkin bila kita jual ini menjadi pundi pundi uang yang banyak tetapi saya sedih melihat inibanyak sekali ikan yang keluar apakah ini sudah busuk atau masih bisa pakai atau bagaimana kalau bisa kita perjualkan lagi ke orang-orang yang mampu beli bila ikan sarden tersebut jadi baik masih original dan segar , senang melihat postingan ini tuan dengan sedikit berbagi cerita yang menarik dalam :)
#indonesia
Oh yes, these sardines are fresh. They provide a lot of meals to the locals and yes, put money in the pocket of those who sells them.
A lot of them will go to the freezers for when they are later sold for bait to the fishermen.
There are billions of these fish. They say that you can actually see these shoals from space.
Oe ,ini sangat menarik sekali tuan ikan sarden ini bisa di perjualkan lagi dengan cara di Simpan di freezer, cara yang tepat tuan, banyak di tempat saya ada sejenis ikan sarden bisa di perjualkan lagi.
#indonesia
Oh yes! You are right. Most of the sardines go to the freezers or will land up on the shelves of supermarkets.
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