The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has halted sardine fishing along South Africa's coastline while it assesses recommendations from its scientific advisory group. The pause follows a devastating mass mortality event triggered by a pilchard herpesvirus outbreak that affected marine life across an estimated 2,600km stretch of coast.
Conservation groups have urged Environment Minister David Maynier to maintain an emergency suspension until a comprehensive biomass survey determines the remaining stock, warning that unchecked commercial fishing risks the collapse of both the species and dependent coastal livelihoods.
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