3 July 2015
COMMENTS WELCOME
St Helena Government is seeking views from the public on the licensing of sports fishing and recreational boat fishing activities in St Helena waters.
Fisheries legislation has provisions to enable the licensing of fishing activities in St Helena but licensing is currently only carried out for commercial fishing.
Management and protection of St Helena’s fish stocks is important to all the Island’s fisheries stakeholders and critical to this objective is the establishment and implementation of a licensing regime that supports responsible fishing and productive use of our fishery resources.
It is proposed to license sports fishing and recreational boat fishing for both angling and spear fishing of pelagic species.
This licensing proposal is intended to bring fishing into line with other sectors benefitting through use of the Island’s natural resources.
There are no licence requirements or fees to be charged for rock fishing as this is recognised as being a traditional form of fishing activity which fisheries stakeholders want to encourage in its current form.
An electronic copy of the proposal can be found on the SHG website at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fisheries-Licencing-Consultation-Document.pdf. Hard copies are also available and can be collected from the Scotland or Essex House reception desks. Further information can be obtained from the Senior Fisheries Officer, Gerald Benjamin, on tel no. 24724.
The closing date for responses is 4pm on Thursday 30 July 2015. Please send your comments to Gerald Benjamin via email gerald-benjamin@enrd.gov.sh
A summary of all feedback received through this exercise will be provided to the Economic Development Committee for consideration before the establishment of a fisheries licensing policy.
SHG
3 July 2015