Anegada businesses reportedly catching lobster out of season
There are reports that some businesses on Anegada continue to harvest lobsters even though the season is closed.
Lobsters can be harvested in the BVI between November 1 – June 30 and the season closes from July 1 to October 31 every year. A permit also has to be obtained by those wishing to harvest lobsters.
At a recent press conference, Agriculture Minister Dr Karl Dawson was asked whether he is aware that some businesses on Anegada continue to sell lobster out of season. In response, the Minister said he has received some information about the issue but not all the facts.
He said residents should be mindful that some persons may have caught and stored lobsters while the season was open, so they could have supply when harvesting is no longer permitted.
He said the BVI’s laws relating to lobsters aren’t entirely clear on how those persons should be dealt with.
“It seems the statues may be less clear about [situations] aside from capturing. That is to say, if someone had been caught in July, can it now be sold in August? So those things we’ll want to look closely at. One thing we would want to do is ensure that the laws are applied evenly so that we don’t tell restaurants different things,” Minister Dawson explained.
Minister Dawson said he had even received email communication about the issue on the very morning of the press conference. However, since the press conference, it hasn’t been confirmed whether there are businesses harvesting lobster out of season and whether they have been warned by the authorities.
There has also been no public warning or reminders from the Agriculture & Fisheries Ministry, advising persons against lobster harvesting at this time of year.
According to the fishing laws of the territory, anyone caught harvesting or practising illegal fishing methods “will be prosecuted in court at the maximum penalty”.
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He needs to read and understand the law. NO LOBSTER CAN BE SERVED even if you had it before the season closed
Make it clear and publish all those you gave permits to sell Lobster and Conch out of season please Mr. Agriculture and Conservation Minster. Then we see who talking out the side of their mouth and who you are helping! Business as usual in the BVI you will see!
Greed gonna kill most of us
Can i bring in lobster from Maine during that period?
The further from Road Town the less BVI law matters. This is the best advantage of sister island life.
Yes, it should be clear with no loopholes. NO LOBSTER TO BE SOLD, SERVED or in way landed on shore after June 30th.
Well, to say it may have been caught before June 30th – and blah blah blah is nonsense. Mr Dawson – get your act together!!
This happens every year on Anegada. Lobster is still on the menu and is served , it gets reported, and nothing happens.
Every summer!
Circle had conchs last week.
people not following the law.. BVI is Wild Wild West, run by drug lords and pirates..with a government watching the world turn
“Everydayyy the bucket goes to the well,
one dayyy the bottom ah go drop out”
The mount a conch them take on Anegada is a disgrace. Start there
People we need sustainable fisheries and if we catch them out of season the lobster will disappear especially now with our bigger population. And if we serve them out of season it will encourage others to catch them out of season. And nobody freezes lobsters so that just doesnt make sense as a defense.
BVI regulates and legislates everything but never follows the rule of law. Those laws are only in place for the expat, the term charter, the offshore financier. The belonger pays no heed to them and the entire territory suffers from their neglect and incompetence
Nature’s dirty little secret
Anegada is it’s own world that gets treated like the redheaded step child so we don’t care bout your Tola laws. Anegadians been fending for themselves forever. Mind yuh business. Anegada people better start doing some serious gatekeeping cause everybody eyes on the flat now. Everybody want a piece.
Our Lobsters are harvested during the harvesting season but we harvest enough to keep us going during the non season. We do not harvest Lobsters during the off season.
to business owner: By using this loophole you are depleting the lobsters and their ability to reproduce…
Why is it as Licensed businessman I have to seek permission from Agric depart. To import seafood and the major supermarket who import also does not follow the same process?
Nonsense. The lobsters being served were caught before the season ended. Does it make any sense to let those lobsters Ritchie in a freezer Anna Lise their lives for nothing? Stop the madness. I watch Tola man dive up 8 Conch the other day Baughers bay and throw them in the grill with sea water and beer. Why you all jump on Anegada? When jVD catching turtle and shark all year round? Stop it with these tainted one sided stories!
You law makers sit behind a desk from 8:30 – 4:30 and really dont know crap as to when close season for seafood should b! How can lobster season close the end of july and still at the same time restaurants aint allowed to sell after that very same date…a grace period is needed and if there is one it need to be clear…so if a fisherman bring in 1000lbs for the last day are restaurants expected to sell all of that the same night?
The whole idea is to stop the fisherman bringing in 100lbs of lobster! Lobster used to be prevalent and Anegada restaurants served a majestic creature straight from the sea. Now you get a small little frozen thing, ive had repeat visitors so disappointed. We need to take sustainability seriously, instead of whining businesses must get on board to do everything they can to improve numbers and conditions for excellent in season lobster.