Sardine mass-mortality sparks investigations amid HPV discovery

According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), an investigation is underway into reports of numerous sardines washing up along the Gqeberha coastline in the Eastern Cape. Similar incidents have also been observed along Cape Town’s coastline, including at Bakoven and Tsitsikamma. This follows the discovery of thousands of sardines washing up on the Cape’s West Coast two weeks ago, prompting officials to perform tests.

Preliminary reports have revealed the presence of pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) in the fish. The DFFE spokesperson, Zolile Nqayi, suggests that the Gqeberha incident may be linked to the earlier event, but further testing is being conducted to confirm this theory. The department has clarified that the pilchard herpesvirus does not pose a known risk to human health but has advised the public not to collect, handle, or consume the sardines that have washed ashore, adding that they should not be fed to animals.