By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS have reported several infractions by fishers in North Abaco less than 24 hours since the opening of crawfish season, according to the director of  Marine Resources Gregory Bethel.

The crawfish season opened on August 1st and will end on March 31st.

Mr Bethel said the Department of Marine Resources in conjunction with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Royal Bahamas Police Force, and Bahamas Customs have beefed up patrols. 

The Department of Marine Resources has deployed marine patrol crafts to various islands. He added that drones will also be utilised for surveillance of the water.  

Officials over the years have stressed the importance of following the rules for crawfish season. However, some people still do not follow the law. 

“The season just opened yesterday (Thursday), Mr Bethel said. “Already we have seen a number of infractions in the North Abaco area where we have deployed one of our marine patrol crafts which has been on the water for the past two days and we've already seen the success of its presence.” 

Mr Bethel didn’t give further details about the infractions.

He encouraged the public to download the BAH WildTip app where they can anonymously report nefarious activities or suspected violation of fisheries laws.  

Paul Maillis, the National Fisheries Association’s (NFA) secretary, told Tribune Business last week he was unable to “recall the last time there was a huge Dominican vessel” poaching in Bahamian waters.

Maillis credited the enhanced law enforcement effort with helping to ensure healthy lobster stocks.  

“The one thing we can count on is that lobster stocks are very healthy, and the work done to combat out-of-season poaching from the Dominican Republic, in particular, has been fantastic,” Maillis said. 

“I can’t recall the last time there was a blatant, huge poaching vessel sitting in Bahamian waters catching hundreds of thousands of pounds of Bahamian fisheries product.”