SA suspends West Coast rock lobster harvesting
The department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has temporarily suspended the harvesting of West Coast rock lobster under the sixth interim relief dispensation, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) reports.
A department statement says that the suspension will be effective from Friday, 16 March 2012, adding that the decision was taken after careful consideration of social, ecological and legal implications.
The suspension, however, does not apply to other species such as traditional line fish, white mussel and red bait - as listed in an interim relief exemption agreement between the Department and small-scale fishers, following a 2007 Equality Court settlement. According to the settlement, the GCIS says, the department agreed to grant small-scale fishers access to marine resources until the Small-Scale Fishers Policy, currently in its final phases, is implemented. During the current dispensation, the department said, approximately 1 340 exemptions have been granted to bona fide fishermen.
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