The annual queen conch seasonal closure will commence on Saturday, June 1, for both the St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John districts, as established by a regulation effective July 1, 2008.
Harvesting of queen conch is prohibited from June 1, 2024, through Oct. 31, 2024. Possession of queen conch is prohibited from June 15, 2024, through Oct. 31, 2024.
Seasonal harvest closures conserve fished populations and help sustain and improve the fisheries of the Virgin Islands. The conch season will reopen on Nov. 1, 2024; it will remain open until midnight, May 31, 2025, or until the 50,000 lbs. quota per district is reached, whichever comes first.
DPNR Commissioner Jean-Pierre Oriol also reminds the public that harvesting and/or possession of mutton and lane snapper are prohibited territory-wide from April 1 to June 30, 2024.
“We ask for everyone’s cooperation to protect Virgin Islands resources for the present and future benefit of the people of the Virgin Islands,” said Oriol.
For more information about queen conch or other fishing regulations, contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife at 773-1082 on St. Croix or 775-6762 on St. Thomas or the Division of Environmental Enforcement at 773-5774 on St. Croix and 774-3320 on St. Thomas.
