Norman Moore, Fisheries Minister, revealed that the plans for the recreational fishing sector follows tough restrictions on commercial fishers for the next two years, to address the worrying decline in juvenile lobster stocks. He added that there will be a 15 percent reduction in commercial lobster fishing pots for the 2008-09 season and a further 15 percent pot reduction in 2009-10.
Besides, there will be new restrictions on recreational lobster fishing, says Moore. He confirmed that the plan will take effect from December 1 with the daily bag limit for lobsters taken by each recreational fisher will be reduced from eight to six. He continued that there will be a similar reduction in the catch limit per boat from 16 lobsters to 12 and we will impose a ban on the use of power winches on recreational boats to prevent the lifting of commercial pots.
According to Moore this restriction will target hoarding and profiteering and help protect vulnerable lobster stocks. It is true that the commercial sector is experiencing some considerable financial pain in order to protect our valuable rock lobster fishery. Moore said his plan to better manage the lobster fishery followed the release of last week’s monthly puerulus (young lobsters) figures which were virtually nil.
