South Africa: Stop Sardine Fishing, Warn Conservationists

What the report says

South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has temporarily restricted sardine catches until 2 October after mass sardine die-offs were reported along the country’s coastline. The measure, announced on Sunday, caps each rights holder at landing no more than 25% of their remaining 2026 total allowable catch. Department spokesperson Zolile Nqayi said the step follows advice from the department’s small pelagic scientific working group and will be reviewed after intensified monitoring.

Conservation groups and marine scientists told GroundUp that the restriction does not go far enough. WWF South Africa and BirdLife South Africa want fishing for small pelagic species, including sardines, stopped until a planned October-November hydroacoustic survey can establish how much stock is left. They argue that continued fishing could worsen pressure on the critically endangered African Penguin, which relies heavily on sardines and is heading into its annual moult period, when birds need to build up fat reserves and then fast while regrowing feathers.

The article says sardine mortalities were first seen on 28 July, with deaths later reported on both the South African and Namibian coasts. Laboratory testing found genetic material linked to pilchard herpesvirus, which has not previously been reported in South Africa, though other environmental factors are still being examined. The fishing industry, represented by the South African Pelagic Fishing Industry Association, says a full shutdown would cause major financial losses and deepen an already difficult year for the sector. The dispute highlights the tension between conservation concerns, ecosystem impacts and short-term economic pressure while the scale of the die-off remains unclear.