Lobster fishing season re-opens December 1 |23 November 2012

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Industry and the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) made the announcement yesterday in a communiqué.

According to the communiqué, the spiny lobster fishery will be controlled through the level of fishing effort as well as size limits (7.5 cm) and no harvesting of egg-bearing females.

As a measure to ensure sustainability of the resource, a limit of 20 licenses (12 for Mahé, five for Praslin and three for La Digue) will be issued to fishermen.

Anyone wishing to purchase a license will need to go through the SFA on a first-come first- serve basis as from November 28, 2012.

The compliance bond of R5,000 will be paid as a deposit to SFA prior to the issuance of license.

The deposit will be refunded in full to the license holder on the condition that logbooks and receipt books (records of sales) are fully completed and submitted to the SFA by the due date and the calliper for measuring of the lobsters are returned at the close of the season.

As usual, the SFA will be undertaking its normal lobster monitoring programme so as to ensure compliance with the law and to maintain proper management of the resource on the Mahé Plateau.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Industry and the SFA are once again calling on members of the fishing community and catering establishments to comply with the regulations.

Customers are urged to purchase lobsters only from licensed fishermen and to report any suspected illegal harvesting or sale of lobster to the SFA (tel: 4670300) or to the nearest police station.
 
Any person harvesting lobsters without a valid license could be prosecuted and fined up to R10, 000 if found guilty.