PICS, VIDEOS: Crates overflow as sardine run hits Umkomaas
On Friday, the sardine frenzy took hold at Umkomaas Beach, on the south coast, where local fishermen made their first catch of the day.
The silverfish on the shore filled dozens of crates to the brim.
A large group of locals joined the fishermen on the beach, and moments after, diving seabirds gave away the location of the sardine shoals.
Divers then quickly entered the water to guide skippers on where to drop their nets.
Then the heavy lifting began.
Teams worked against the pounding waves to carefully pull the large net to shore in a coordinated effort.
Watch: A frenzy at Umkomaas Beach as the first sardines hit the shore!
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) June 6, 2025
Divers guided skippers, nets dropped, and crews hauled them in.
Locals joined the action — some with rods, others filling buckets with silverfish spilling onto the sand.#SardineRun2025 #KZNSouthCoast pic.twitter.com/l5Pwj92d90
In the meantime, other locals gathered with fishing rods, hoping to catch a few predators trailing the sardines.
One fisherman told Newswatch that they can pack around 350 fish into a single crate.
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Several bakkies stood by to transport them to various selling points.
One vehicle took off carrying a load of around 50 crates.
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