April 9, 2009 – The public is informed of the seasonal prohibition on the possession of mutton snapper (aka virgin snapper) and lane snapper in territorial waters. In order to reduce fishing efforts and to prevent overfishing of these species during peak reproductive months, the possession of mutton and lane snapper in territorial waters is prohibited from April 1 to June 30 each year, according to a press release from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
This seasonal prohibition is compatible with federal regulations for these species in U.S. Caribbean federal waters, developed by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries Service.
Caribbean federal waters are those waters extending 200 nautical miles offshore from the 9-mile seaward boundary of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the 3-mile seaward boundary of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
DPNR asks everyone's cooperation in order to protect resources for the present and future benefit of the people of the Virgin Islands.
For additional information on mutton and lane snapper or other fisheries regulations, contact the Division of Environmental Protection at 773-5774 on St. Croix and 774-3320 on St. Thomas.
