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Contact:
Ministry of
Agriculture
Thursday, January 8, 2009 – The public is advised that the closed season
for sea turtle fishery commences from January 1st, 2009 to October 1st, 2009.
This means that from Thursday 1st January 2009, it is illegal to catch, take,
hunt for, or have a sea turtle or its products in your possession, without
permission from the Chief Fisheries Officer.
The Department of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and
Fisheries seeks the assistance of the public in reporting to the marine police
or nearest police station, any person found interfering with a nesting sea
turtle or its eggs, slaughtering a sea turtle on a beach or elsewhere, taking or
consuming sea turtle eggs, selling sea turtles eggs or meat, attempting to leave
the country with sea turtle eggs, meat or other sea turtle products, holding a
baby sea turtle (hatchling) as a pet.
Persons are also reminded that the sea turtle nesting period is typically
between March and November each year. Nesting sea turtles and eggs are protected
throughout the nesting period and all year round, regardless of whether the sea
turtle fishery is opened or closed.
Contravention of the Fisheries Regulations No.9 of 1994 is subject to a maximum
fine of $5000 for each offence.
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