SARDINE WATCH: Cold front may lure sardines close to shore

The cold front that has moved into large parts of KwaZulu-Natal may just improve chances of sardines moving closer to shore in KZN.

The Natal Sharks Board conducted its second flight observation of this year’s sardine run on Thursday, 3 June. Divers part of the observing operations off the coast of East London confirmed one small bait ball of sardines.

Signs of activity were spotted at Port St Johns on the Eastern Cape Coast where several hundred Cape gannets were sighted. Cape Gannets feed on herring, commonly know as red eye sardines, which are found in the area throughout the year. These fish are often mistaken for sardines during the sardine run. Dolphin activity has increased at Port St Johns but not the expected numbers at this time of year.

Natal Sharks Board could not confirm the outcome of the latest observation flight on 5 June.