WATCH | Sardines return to Durban

Get your frying pans ready, the sardines have made another run for it.

There was a flurry of activity in Durban on Thursday, when a huge shoal of sardines was netted at uShaka Beach.

The sardine run is a unique marine phenomenon - dubbed the greatest shoal on earth - that usually takes place in June or July when shoals of the small, silvery fish leave the cold waters off Cape Point and make their way to KwaZulu-Natal.

Local angler Jace Govender, who witnessed the netting, told TimesLIVE that "it’s not unusual for sardines to arrive at this time of the year".

"We’ve netted sardines in late October many times, so this is not unusual. There was a north-easter that would drop the water temperature. We also noticed a high increase of the flat fish in that area.

"When the easterly came into the harbour, the most protected place was the basin, so sardines came in there."

Govender said seine netters gathered about 80 crates of sardines, which would sell for about R800 a crate.

"It’s already out on the market. I think the fishermen will buy it for bait," he said.

The fish are a popular delicacy, eaten fried, grilled or braaied with masala and lemon.