What is Sardine Run?

Sardines are cold-water fish and are usually associated with areas of cold ocean up-welling, where deeper, cooler, nutrient-rich water currents surge to the surface when they strike shallow coastal areas. Sardines are commonly found in enormous shoals on the west coasts of California, South America, Japan, Australia and South Africa. The Sardine Run is a seasonal movement of aquatic life along the Eastern Cape coastline to the South Coast of KwalZulu Natal, South Africa. It stretches from Scottburgh in the north to Port Edward in the south and Harding in the west.It is also the name of an event traditionally associated with the Natal South Coast, when locals and fisherman eagerly awaited the seasonal arrival of sardines and associated game fish. Every year during June-July, sharks, gamefish, marine mammals and birds in a feeding fiesta along with a large number of fishermen flock to the KwalZulu Natal Coast (KZN). Large shoals of sardines, move in a band up the coast, also known as pilchards, Sardines (Sardinops sagax) live their lives in huge shoals on the surface of the ocean. making them a favorite of fishermen and predators alike as the most preferred prey. Almost a quarter of the worlds fish catch by weight is the sardine, making them a valuable phenomenon to study.