Durban - The South African Association for Marine Biological Research photographed the development of fish larvae which they collected 40km off Durban two Wednesdays ago.
Saambr’s Ann Kunz said they collected a large number of fish eggs from a plankton net towed behind the South African Institute for Aquatic Diversity boat uKwabelana during the release of Tweni, Donny and the 19 hatchlings.
Kunz said the eggs collected at sea were brought back to Saambr’s fish hatchery and placed into special grow-out tanks. They hatched within two days.
“We are not sure exactly what species they are at this early stage of their development, but this should become clearer as they continue to develop,” Kunz said.
“We think they could be sardines.”
Kunz said sardine shoals were present off Durban in June and the shoals now appeared to have dispersed offshore where spawning was known to occur.
“Scientists have over the years recorded high volumes of sardine eggs on the edge of the continental shelf in July and August and the eggs we collected coincide with their findings,” Kunz said.
“The collection was part of uShaka Sea World’s exciting research programme to grow some of our own fish for display from eggs collected in both the aquarium and at sea.”
Daily News