Panulirus penicillatus - known locally as Homard Grosse Tête

In order to determine the total catch of lobsters taken during operational fishing seasons, and to gather biological information on the lobster stocks on the Mahé Plateau, a monitoring program was set up by the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) in 1992. SFA technicians and enforcement officers visit landing sites to record catch and effort data, and to ensure that no berried females (individuals carrying eggs) or lobsters of less than 75 mm cephalothoracic length (immature individuals) are being landed. 

In terms of the total catches taken since monitoring began, it is clear that the lobster stocks have been under a considerable amount of fishing pressure. A significant decrease in catch rates indicates that declines in stock abundance have occurred. Concerns over these trends have led to revisions of fishery regulations. For instance, in an effort to reduce fishing pressure, the number of licenses issued for the 2002-2003 season was 25, 15 less than the previous operational season in 2001-2002. However, the limited number of licenses issued in the last open season did not lead to an increase in catch rate. In fact, the catch rate was 25 % lower in 2002-2003 compared to the previous season. These patterns clearly illustrated that the stocks were in decline, and closure of the 2003-2004 season was vital to enable the fishery a chance to recover. 

	Panulirus versicolor - known locally as Homard Vert or the painted spiny lobster. Photo Peter Lange

Many of the problems facing the lobster fishery may be explained by the considerable amount of illegal lobster fishing that occurs both outside and within operational seasons. To tackle this problem, SFA has increased enforcement activities, especially during closed seasons. Our capacity to manage lobster resources is hampered by the lack of recent stock assessments. Even basic efforts to monitor catch rates are compounded by poor reporting of catches, which brings into question the quality of data being analyzed. There is an urgent need for greater stakeholder support of monitoring efforts and adherence to regulations, so that informed and reliable decisions can be made on the basis of sound data. In the absence of quality catch and effort data, a precautionary approach will have to be taken by SFA, which may include more closed seasons and even fewer licenses being issued. The current situation clearly benefits no one engaged in the fishery. 

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR) and SFA have recently announced a further closure of the lobster fishing season for 2004-2005, as a precautionary measure, to allow the stocks to recover to safer harvestable levels. SFA is also making plans to undertake a fishery independent survey to evaluate the status of the stocks. Moreover, SFA has appealed to the fishing community, catering establishments, as well as on the general public, to respect closures and to report any infractions to the Police or SFA. Any person caught fishing for lobsters or purchasing local lobsters during a closed season is liable to prosecution, and on conviction, fined up to SR 10,000. We hope that these measures will act as suitable deterrent, but SFA must also endeavour to educate stakeholders regarding the vulnerability of lobster resources, so that there is less need for expensive enforcement programs and time-consuming court cases. This is just one of the many challenges we face in efforts to promote sustainable fishing practices in Seychelles. 

Article by: Marlene Isidore, SFA