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Home | Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Charles Jr declares the opening of Conch Season on March 1, 2022
Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has officially declared March 1, 2022 as the opening of the conch season.
The commencement of the season will be done under strict guidelines which aim to protect the conch fisheries while enabling the continuation of economic activity centred on the harvesting of the seafood.
The special conditions applicable to the 2022 conch fishing season include a total catch of 300 metric tonnes for industrial fishers and 50 metric tonnes for artisanal fishers.
Additionally, zones demarcating prohibited areas for the fishing of queen conch are in place. This includes areas within Pedro Bank east of Southwest Cay (Bird Cay).
Other conditions mandate that all conch fishing vessels (industrial and artisanal) will be required to operate Real-time (RT) Vessel Monitoring Systems accessible to the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) and the Veterinary Services Division (VSD).
Fishers of conch must also be in possession of a valid fishing licence as illegal harvesting of conch will not be tolerated.
The conch fishing season was previously closed for two years, commencing in 2019. This was implemented as a move to protect and increase the conch population and also boost the sustainability of the habitats in which they are grown.
The Ministry, its agencies and partners are committed to ensuring that this positive impact remains intact and as such the applicable conditions will be strictly enforced.
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