Any one caught harvesting or practicing any of the methods mentioned on the previous page will be (Strombus gigas) PROSECUTED in court at the

Queen Conch maximum penalty. th st 15 August – 31 October

Any one witnessing the harvesting or practicing of these ILLEGAL methods (Cittarium pica) Whelk in the British waters, 15th August – 31st October should contact the Conservation and Fisheries Department immediately.

(Panulirus argus) Lobster st st 1 July – 31 October

For further information (Epineplelus guttatus) visit: Red Hind st st 1 January – 31 March The Conservation & Fisheries Department Quatisky Building (next to the Market Place)

Road Town , (Haemulon album) Margate st st 1 January – 31 March Tel: 1-284 -494-5681 1-284-494-3429

Fax: 1-284-494-2670 Marine Turtles st th Prepared by the 1 April – 30 November E-mail: [email protected] Conservation and Fisheries Department Ministry of Natural Resources & Labour

Government of the British Virgin Islands (Epineplelus straiatus) VHF Channel 16 Nassau Grouper 1st March – 31st May “Professional Services Delivered to the Public”

Harvest CONCH without a flared lip. · Any conch without a flared lip is

considered a juvenile. All harvested conch should be landed in the shell.

Marine Protected Areas are areas · Use a fish trap or seine net to catch which protect and sustain breeding Currimole fish. grounds and habitat of aquatic life.

· Haul, remove or empty another The Marine Protected Areas of the person’s fish traps/pots or fishing · Use any FISH TRAP/POT, which does not have a biodegradable BVI include: gear without permission from the owner. panel. x Channel

· Use SCUBA GEAR to take any · Use CAST NETS with a mesh marine products (whether conch, x Big Reef, size of less than 3/16 inch. fish, shells, lobster, coral, etc.) x Dead Chest

· Use a BEACH SEINE with a · Use SPEAR GUNS to harvest any mesh size of less than 1½ marine products. x Frenchman’s Cay inches. · Harvest, purchase or sell any type x Green Cay,

· Use a FLYING FISH NET with a of TURTLE during the months of · April to November. Neither should Hans Creek, Beef Island mesh size of less than ¾ inch. x any turtle nest or turtle that is

nesting be interfered with. x Horseshoe Reef, · Use any fish trap/pot with a mesh size of less than 2 inches when · Fish in British Virgin Islands waters x Money Bay, Santa Monica Rock measured across the narrow without a valid fishing license or and part. permit.

x North Bay, · Take any LOBSTER less than one · Fish in any Marine Protected Area. pound in weight or which has a x South Sound, Taylor’s Bay to carapace or head of less than 3 ½ Valid Fishing Licenses Copper Mine, inches. Neither should lobsters can be obtained from the bearing eggs be harvested. Ministry of Natural Resources & x The Sound & Wedges Bay, Lobsters should immediately be Labour returned to the sea. Lobsters should not be harvested with spear Tel 284-468-3701 ext. 2147 guns or hooks. x The Sound, Salt Island