SARDINE SQUEEZE: DFFE limits catches to 25% while fish die-off impact uncertain
Sardine fishing will be limited to 25% of the remaining 2026 quotas until 2 October, as scientists assess the impact of a mass die-off linked to pilchard herpesvirus. The loss of a key food source has raised concerns for Algoa Bay’s already depleted African penguin colonies.
South African scientists have imposed a temporary 25% catch limit on sardine fishing in Algoa Bay until October. The decision comes after a mass die-off was linked to pilchard herpesvirus (PHV), which is threatening the food source for Algoa Bay's endangered African penguin colonies. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) will conduct comprehensive population surveys on sardines to determine the full impact of the mass mortalities, believed to be caused by the PHV outbreak.
The limited catch and ongoing investigations have been welcomed by the fishing industry and conservationists, who have previously expressed concerns over the spread of the disease and its potential impact on the sardine population and the broader marine ecosystem.
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