Scientists say they are concerned about declining sardine fish stocks in South African waters.
The Fisheries Department says research shows that the sardine population has shifted more towards the South Coast from the West Coast over the last two years.
An event has been held in Cape Town to mark the return of the research vessel, the Africana, from a 40-day trip to survey anchovy and sardine fish stocks.
Scientists say anchovy numbers are healthy, but they are concerned about the sardine population.
They say they are not sure why the sardines are declining. They have warned that over fishing threatens food security.
Director of Resources Research in the fisheries department, Kim Prochazka says, We have just now successfully completed the pelagic recruit survey, the one that happens in May/June. The results of that show that the anchovy resource is in a fairly healthy state. The sardines we are still fairly concerned about as they are not as numerous as they used to be many years ago. We are not quite sure why that is but we continue to monitor it closely.
The 34-year-old Africana had a refitting three months ago before undertaking its first research voyage.
The Fisheries Department says the vessel had previously been out of service for four years.
The Africana is one of six research vessels that were handed over to the SA Navy in April 2012 due to irregularities in their management.
Director General in the department, Michael Mlangeni, One of the areas government is very much interested in is the transformation agenda to allow for an equitable distribution of the resources. One of those resources is income. So if we give allocations to small fisheries, we would be doing a very good thing. And make sure though that fishing is sustainable and that we are not destroying the fish in the sea.
The Africana departs for its next voyage on August 4.
SABC