Dates for recreational lobster fishing announced

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Pretoria - Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has announced the new recreational fishing season for west coast rock lobster.

The new season will open on 15 November and close on 15 April 2010.

From 15 November to 31 December this year, fishing will be allowed every day of the week, but from 1 January next year to 15 April fishing will be restricted to weekends and public holidays only.

Fishing times for West Coast rock lobster will be from 8am until 4pm. The rock lobsters must be landed by 4pm. The bag limit is four lobsters per person per day and the size restriction is 80 mm carapace length.

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 such rock lobster are present in the vehicle, vessel or aircraft during transportation, and that such persons are in possession of recreational west coast rock lobster permits.

West coast rock lobster permits will only be sold to persons above the age of 12 years