Authorities crack down on West Coast lobster poaching as summer approaches
Two men have been arrested for illegal possession of over 600 West Coast lobster tails.
Image: City of Cape Town law enforcement
A sting operation secured the arrest of two suspects in different locations in possession of more than 600 West Coast lobster tails as authorities warn that poaching is set to increase as summer approaches.
JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, City of Cape Town said one of the suspects was found trading without a permit at Hout Bay harbour.
On September 27, officers attached to the Law Enforcement Marine Unit received a tip off about a suspect in possession of West Coast rock lobster at an address in Ravensmead.
Smith said the officers acted swiftly and arrested a 47-year-old suspect for the illegal possession of 420 lobster tails.
The following day, officers patrolling the Hout Bay Harbour area received information about a suspect trading in rock lobster without a permit.
Smith added that the 45-year-old suspect was detained at Hout Bay SAPS, after being found with 192 rock lobsters.
“Pilfering of our marine resources is an ongoing problem and often it is linked to other illicit dealings. Our Marine Unit staff work closely with other agencies to police our coastline and the waters around Cape Town,” he stated.
“I want to thank the members of the public who were involved in making these arrests happen.
“As we head into the warmer months, we’ll no doubt see an increase in poaching incidents, so I appeal to the public to blow the whistle on any suspected illegal activities.”
Cape Town officials urge the public to report illegal activities as they crack down on lobster trafficking.
Image: City of Cape Town
He asked the public to be wary of supporting and encouraging the crime.
“ Also, do refrain from buying marine resources that have been illegally harvested – by doing so, you only compound the problem.
Earlier, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George strongly condemned the illegal harvesting of the West Coast Rock Lobster and the indiscriminate targeting of its egg-bearing females.
His office said 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.
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,” said Dr George stated.
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