Abstract

The Jamaican fishery for the queen conch, Strombus gigas, is the largest in the region at the present time, and this has been so since 1991 when exports surpassed those. of Mexico. During the 1995196 season the quota was 1,900 tonnes, and a quantity just below this figure was harvested under the terms of conch quotas issued by the Fisheries Division. The National Total Allowable Catch (NTAC) system of managing the fishery operated successfully in the 1995.96 season and minor adjustments are recommended with reasons for these changes to the conch fishery management plans discussed. Illegal foreign fishing for conch on Pedro Bank by Honduran vessels was a continuing problem. Although still to ratify the CITES, all necessary institutional, operational and reporting requirements under the CITES have been implemented. Management changes for the 1996/'97 season include: 1) annual quota reduced by 100 tonnes to 1,800 tonnes, 2) Jamaica to ratify CITES, 3) no new licenses issued for industrial conch fishing, and 4) protection of Pedro Bank from illegal foreign conch fishing (poaching) through the establishment of a joint Coast Guard/Fisheries Division offshore base. Among the suggestions for future changes in management are: I) reduction of total harvest to 2/3 MSY by year 2005 AD, 2) closure of critical (deeper) conch areas on Pedro Bank, 3) identification and protection of conch nursery area(s) on Pedro Bank, and 4) consideration of ban on conch fishing with SCUBA gear.

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