The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has condemned the illegal harvesting of the West Coast Rock Lobster and the indiscriminate targeting of its egg-bearing females.
These illegal activities destroy millions of potential lobsters that could contribute to a sustainable marine ecosystem and could also provide much-needed economic opportunities to local communities.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in cooperation with the South African Police Service, the Overberg Law Enforcement unit, Cape Nature and the South African National Parks conducted an enforcement operation in the Overberg region on Tuesday.
"A vessel was apprehended carrying 2,679 West Coast Rock Lobster tails, including 125 tails from egg-bearing females. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities suspecting additional suspects and vessels involved in this illicit trade.
"In an earlier incident, following the recent opening of the commercial West Coast Rock Lobster season, on 13 November 2024, a suspect was arrested also in the Overberg area with 1,147 rock lobster tails, of which 819 were from egg-bearing females," the department said.
In this incident, egg-bearing female lobsters were targeted, and the impact of this illicit activity is devastating to the status of the resource as millions of potential lobsters are destroyed.
The department said it remains resolute in its commitment to protect this vital resource and ensure sustainable practices.
West Coast Rock Lobster, also known as Jasus lalandii, has suffered from historical overfishing, decrease in growth and environmental changes.
"The illegal and indiscriminate harvesting of the West Coast Rock Lobster resource is threatening the sustainability of the resource and the communities who depend on it. The West Coast Rock Lobster is a resource that is now considered severely overexploited with current resource estimates of adult males above 75mm carapace length at less than 1.5% of its 1,910 pristine biomass," the Minister said.
The public has been urged to report any suspicious activities related to the illegal harvesting of marine resources.
Additionally, the public should avoid purchasing West Coast Rock Lobster unless its source can be verified, and it is accompanied by a valid invoice.
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It is illegal to possess or transport West Coast Rock Lobster without a valid permit, especially if the lobster is undersized, not in its whole state, carrying eggs ("in berry"), or if the eggs have been removed.
Public Notice on the West Coast Rock Lobster can be accessed on this link: https://www.dffe.gov.za/sites/default/files/legislations/publicnotices/04nov2024_westcoastrocklobster_fishingseason.pdf
