Abstract

In the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina an important industrial fishery takes place with an annual quota of 250 t of tails (~ 750 t of whole lobster), in which 33 vessels are involved. In May 2000, the National Government assigned to the Local Authorities the administration of the fisheries. Since then, different strategies of surveillance and enforcement have been organized, with the aim of guaranteeing the fulfilment of the different laws that regulate the activity. One of the most effective strategies has been the monitoring of landings, given that we have been able to inspect landings for more than 839 fishing trips, where we verify if permits are valid, if they are using authorized fishing gear, the total landings, fishing areas and fishing effort. Additionally, a sample of 10% from the landed product is selected randomly in each fishing trip with the objective of controlling the minimum legal size established and that no egged female are landed. Since 2001 we have inspected more that 60000 lobsters and we have achieved to diminish significantly the catch of juveniles, from 14% to less than 2%. Although the strategy of surveillance and enforcement has achieved acknowledgement in Colombia, and it constitutes a model to implement in others Caribbean localities towards a responsible fishery, there are lot of things that needs to get improved

PDF Preview