CAPE TOWN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's environment department said Monday that widespread sardine mortality is subsiding as the government maintains a precautionary fishing measure.
In a statement, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said no renewed widespread mortality had been reported. "The only new report during the past week was an isolated fresh sardine stranding near Mbotyi on the northern Wild Coast on Sept. 11."
The department said the available evidence did not indicate that the mortality had reduced the sardine population sufficiently to warrant a complete closure of the fishery. The current measure is precautionary and time-limited and can be reviewed sooner if conditions deteriorate.
Industry reported that strong winds had prevented recent fishing west of Cape Agulhas, while fishing opportunities in Algoa Bay were also limited by weather. Only one sardine catch, amounting to 26 tonnes, has been taken since the beginning of September.
Pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) remains the strongest identified biological factor associated with the mortality and has been confirmed in affected sardines from the Western Cape and Algoa Bay, the department said.
"Monitoring, sampling and laboratory investigations are continuing," it said.
Earlier samples from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province tested negative for PHV, but only a small number were tested. Additional samples are expected to help determine whether the result is consistent across a broader sample.
"If these also test negative, this will support, but not prove, that the event did not extend into KZN, consistent with the reported mortality front ending before it reached the province," the department said.
No effects on sardine-dependent seabirds or marine mammals have been confirmed.
The Small Pelagic Scientific Working Group will meet on Sept. 29 to review the available evidence and reconsider management of the fishery before the temporary measure ends.
A hydroacoustic survey planned for October and November will provide the first fisheries-independent estimate of sardine biomass and distribution following the event.
