Pretoria – The season for recreational fishing of West Coast rock lobster will close on Monday at 4pm, says the City of Cape Town.
The current season opened on 15 November 2012 and will officially close on 1 April. Since the start of 2013, fishing has only been allowed on weekends and on public holidays.
The gazetted regulations in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act (Act No. 18 of 1988) for the recreational fishing of West Coast rock lobster includes:
- A bag limit of four per permit holder per day for own use;
- The possession of a recreational rock lobster permit, which is obtainable at any South African Post Office;
- Recreational permit-holders collecting and landing West Coast rock lobster may do so only between 8am and 4pm. The rock lobsters must be landed by or before 4pm.
- No person shall buy, barter, sell, or offer for sale any rock lobster which is caught with a recreational permit.
The City of Cape Town’s Marine and Environmental Law Enforcement Unit will be conducting joint operations with other agencies in the coming week to ensure compliance with the gazetted regulations.
The unit will cooperate with, amongst others, the Table Mountain National Park’s Marine Unit, the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Border Police and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
“It is critically important for us to protect and conserve our rich marine heritage,” said Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.
“The city thanks Capetonians for their cooperation and adherence to the gazetted regulations, and calls on them to report anyone who does not comply with these regulations,” said Alderman Smith.
Members of the public can report suspected non-compliance to the city’s law enforcement Control room on 021 596 1999. – SAnews.gov.za
