South Africa's sardines are dying in a mass mortality event linked to pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) — the first time this virus has ever been detected here. The mortality event has already been reported from the West Coast to Cape Town, Tsitsikamma, Algoa Bay and Gqeberha, while sardine strandings have also been reported in Namibia, hitting a stock that was already below its long-term average. Comparable outbreaks in Australia caused 70–75% biomass collapses. We won't know the true scale of the damage until DFFE's (Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment) biomass survey in October/November 2026 — yet commercial sardine fishing continues regardless.

This matters far beyond the fish themselves. Sardines are a primary food source for Critically Endangered African Penguins (predicted to become extinct in the wild by 2035 under the current rate of decline), Cape Cormorants and Cape Gannets, as well as important line fish species such as snoek, geelbek and hake. They're also the bait and income that small-scale fishing communities rely on, and canned pilchards are one of South Africa's most affordable sources of protein.

South African law already provides for a precautionary approach to managing resources: NEMA requires a risk-averse and cautious approach that takes into account the limits of current knowledge, and Section 16 of the MLRA gives the Minister explicit powers to suspend or restrict fishing when an emergency endangers, or may endanger, fish stocks or aquatic life.

We ask the government to manage our resources with precaution during this period of uncertainty and are calling for a moratorium (temporary pause) on commercial purse-seine sardine fishing until the full impact is known thereby protecting both small-scale fishing families and the environment.

Fact Sheet: Call for an Immediate Moratorium on Purse-Seine Sardine Fishing      View or Download PDF