Sardine deaths stretch 2,600km due to possible pilchard herpesvirus
A massive sardine mortality event spanning 2,600km along the South African and Namibian coasts is currently under investigation by environmental authorities. While the pilchard herpesvirus has been detected in dead fish, scientists are still determining if it is the primary cause or if environmental factors are contributing.
Why it matters
Large-scale marine die-offs threaten biodiversity and local fishing economies, necessitating urgent scientific monitoring to understand ecological health.
─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 11:00 Sun, 13 Sep 2026
South Africa is experiencing an unusual sardine mortality event that has been reported across a vast stretch of coastline, from the Western Cape through the southern and eastern coasts, into the northern Wild Coast and along the Namibian coast.
The department of forestry, fisheries and the environment says the pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) has been confirmed in sardines associated with the mortality event, including fish collected in Gqeberha.
The department cautions the detection of the virus does not yet prove it is responsible for all the deaths, with scientists continuing to investigate the possible contribution of environmental factors.
Spokesperson Zolile Nqayi said the department and its scientific partners were monitoring new reports, conducting diagnostic testing and assessing the distribution, scale and progression of the event.
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