Schalkwyk announces West Coast lobster season and Total Allowable Catch
13 November 2007
The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk,
has announced the new recreational season for West Coast rock lobster and has
set the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the 2007/08 West Coast rock lobster
season.
The global TAC for West Coast rock lobster which includes the offshore and
near-shore commercial fishing sectors as well as the recreational fishing
sector has decreased from 2 857 tonnes in 2006/07 to 2 571 tonnes for
2007/08.
The new season for recreational fishing of West Coast rock lobster will open
on 15 November 2007 and will close on 15 April 2008. From 15 November 2007 to
31 December 2007 fishing will be allowed every day of the week, but from 1
January 2008 to 15 April 2008 fishing will be restricted to weekends and public
holidays only.
The bag limit is four lobsters per person per day and the size restriction
is 80 millimetres carapace length. Fishing time for West Coast rock lobster
will be from 08h00 till 16h00 for all periods. All catches must be landed by
16h00.
No person catching west coast rock lobster with a recreational West Coast
rock lobster permit may sell it. Any West Coast rock lobster caught, collected
or transported must be kept in a whole state.
A maximum of 20 rock lobsters may be transported per day, on condition that
all the persons who caught the rock lobster are present during transportation,
and that they are in possession of recreational rock lobster permits.
West Coast rock lobster permits will only be sold to persons above the age
of 12 years and is available from any Post Office.
Enquiries:
Mava Scott
Cell: 082 411 9821
Carol Moses
Tel: 021 402 3448
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
13 November 2007
