Sardine Run VS Bunkering, Algoa Bay
By Lloyd Edwards

1. News

While everyone hates the easterly winds which blow in Algoa Bay during December, there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! While the winds turn the waters into a washing machine and make the water freezing cold, plenty of good is happening below. The surface waters are pushed offshore which brings cold and nutrient rich waters into the bay. Phytoplankton spores hatch and feed on the nutrients which in turn feed the zooplankton. This is what brings the bait fish alive and their host of predators. We have had the most incredible “sardine run” out into Algoa Bay during the last three days!

As can be seen in the attached photos, the action is happening right in the “Ship to Ship” Bunkering zone here in Algoa Bay.  Like the recent Seismic Survey that we managed to get stopped on the Wild Coast, this activity is happening right here under our noses without an Environmental Assessment having been done. We have already had three oil spills, despite the oil companies saying “it will never happen”. Are we really going to allow the fat cats in the oil industry to get rich at massive risk to our tourism and fishing industries?

At present, the whole of Algoa Bay is teeming with millions of bait fish. The endangered African penguins have just finished their annual molt and are fattening up for their breeding season in March. The thousands of Long-beaked common dolphins are busy weaning their calves on the bait fish. Scores of Bryde’s whales are packing on their blubber reserves. Cape gannets in their tens of thousands are also fattening up their chicks on Bird Island. We have had the most incredible sightings in the last few days, long may it last!

Keep an eye on our posts; we will bring you the latest on our progress with the Ship to Ship Bunkering and the entanglement of whales and dolphins in the rock lobster industry ropes and buoys.