Despite fewer major poaching busts in recent months, illegal abalone harvesting remains a serious threat along the Nelson Mandela Bay coastline. Anti-poaching teams are now warning that activity could increase as demand from Asian markets rises ahead of Chinese New Year in February 2027.
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Police in Gqeberha recently seized 1,935 illegally harvested abalone, worth an estimated R365,500, during an operation in Algoa Park. The bust, reported by Daily Maverick on 10 November, also led to the arrest of a 21-year-old man suspected of illegally possessing and transporting the protected marine species, locally known as perlemoen.
The operation took place shortly before midnight on 3 November, when members of the South African Police Service’s K9 Unit and Flying Squad followed a Volkswagen Polo travelling at high speed to the parking area of Aloes Flats in Kamdebo Street. A search of the vehicle uncovered several bags of abalone on the back seat.
Police confirmed that the seized shellfish weighed a total of 207kg, with an estimated value of R365,500. Officers also confiscated the vehicle, a scale and shucking tools believed to have been used to remove the shellfish from coastal reefs.
The suspect was arrested and charged under the Marine Living Resources Act.
Abalone poaching remains widespread along the Eastern Cape coast
While the latest seizure is one of the more significant busts in recent weeks, private anti-poaching teams say the illegal trade is far from slowing down.
Dark Water Ops, a private security company working alongside law enforcement to combat illegal abalone harvesting, has reported a change in poaching activity along the coastline. Although fewer divers have been spotted in its immediate area of operations, the company believes poachers have shifted their attention to other sections of the Nelson Mandela Bay coastline.
Operations manager Dave Knoop told Daily Maverick that teams of between 30 and 50 divers had previously been spotted targeting reefs at a time. While those numbers have declined in certain areas, the wider illegal trade continues.
In recent weeks, Dark Water Ops recovered between 700 and 1,000 illegally harvested abalone in its area of operations. Teams also discovered hidden bags near Noordhoek and the coastal village of Schoenmakerskop.
Other areas reportedly attracting poachers include reefs near Bushy Park and waters closer to Bird Island.
The scale of the problem extends far beyond individual police seizures. In September 2025, Daily Maverick reported that Dark Water Ops estimated the illegal abalone trade along the Nelson Mandela Bay coastline was worth approximately R1.2-billion annually.
The company also reported recovering more than 64,000 units of wet abalone in 2024, with an estimated value of R56.2-million.
Chinese New Year could drive another spike in abalone poaching
Although the festive season often brings increased pressure on coastal resources, anti-poaching teams are particularly concerned about the months leading up to Chinese New Year in February 2027.
Much of the illegally harvested abalone from the Nelson Mandela Bay coastline is destined for Asian markets, where the shellfish is considered a sought-after delicacy. Demand traditionally increases around major celebrations, including Chinese New Year.
Knoop believes this could result in a sharp increase in poaching activity as local suppliers prepare to meet demand.
Favourable summer weather could also make conditions easier for divers to access coastal reefs. Anti-poaching teams have already reported that poor sea conditions have limited activity on certain days, but expect this to change as calmer weather returns.
For now, fewer sightings in some parts of Nelson Mandela Bay do not necessarily mean the pressure on its marine ecosystems has eased. With the illegal trade continuing to move along the coastline, the latest police seizure is another reminder of the scale of the challenge facing those working to protect South Africa’s marine life.
