A significant die-off of sardines, also known as pilchards, has been observed along 2,600km of coastline in Southern Africa since late July. Fishers initially reported dead sardines near Saldanha Bay, South Africa, on 28 July, with further reports emerging from areas including Cape Town, Henties Bay in Namibia, and Mbotyi in South Africa's Eastern Cape.
Pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) has been identified as the main cause of the deaths. Dr Janet Coetzee of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment stated that the event is being taken "very seriously," leading to the formation of a high-level task team.
Despite calls from some scientists and conservation NGOs for an immediate halt to commercial sardine fishing, the task team concluded that available evidence did not indicate a significant reduction in the population. The Southern African Pelagic Fishing Industry Association warned that a fishery closure could cost the South African economy over 1.2 billion rand (£55m).
Conservationists, including Dr Alistair McInnes of BirdLife South Africa, question the decision, highlighting that the full extent of the die-off is unknown as many dead fish sink. They advocate for a fishing pause until the results of the annual hydroacoustic biomass survey, conducted in October and November, are released in early December.