(Posted 04th June 2025)
The Sardine Run, often hailed as one of the world’s most spectacular marine wildlife events, is currently underway along South Africa’s east coast, typically occurring between May and July each year. This natural phenomenon marks the largest fish migration in the Southern Hemisphere, with billions of sardines (Sardinops sagax) moving in vast shoals from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Agulhas Bank northward along the coastline. These sardines follow cooler ocean currents and plankton blooms, which form their primary food source.
As the Sardine Run intensifies in KwaZulu-Natal, it draws a frenzy of marine predators including dolphins, sharks, seabirds, and whales, turning the ocean into a dramatic feeding spectacle.
In response to the increased presence of large predatory fish and for public safety, the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board has temporarily removed shark safety gear from 25 beaches along the South Coast. As a result, swimming is currently prohibited at the following beaches until further notice:… READ MORE
