sardines

Sardines are small, oily forage fish that play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. Recently, they have become newsworthy due to mass die-offs occurring along the west and south coasts of South Africa. Scientists are actively investigating the cause of these mortality events, with a herpes virus detected in the fish being a primary suspect. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has been stumped by the scale of the problem. This situation is significant as it impacts the marine food web and potentially the fishing industry. The ongoing investigation aims to determine if the virus is indeed responsible for the widespread deaths, shedding light on the health of sardine populations in the region and the factors affecting their survival.