“Widespread sardine mortality” along Western Cape coast; public urged to avoid
Authorities in South Africa's Western Cape are investigating widespread sardine mortality along the coast. The public has been warned to avoid handling or consuming the fish while testing for toxins and environmental factors is underway.
Why it matters
Addresses a potential public health risk and environmental crisis affecting local marine ecosystems.
Residents, anglers and beachgoers are urged to avoid any contact with sardines and other fish that may wash up on beaches in the Western Cape.
This is a precautionary measure amid an investigation by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) into occurrences of dead or dying sardines washing ashore along the Western Cape coast.
“Members of the public are strongly advised not to collect, handle or consume dead or dying fish found on beaches or floating at sea,” said the department in a statement on Sunday.
The department said it recently received reports from fishers and members of the public of fish that washed ashore and of sardines seen floating on the surface of the sea offshore Hout Bay.
The DFFE noted similar incidents in several locations along the coast from Saldanha Bay to Gansbaai, which prompted the collection of fish samples in Saldanha Bay on Saturday.
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