An estimate of poaching in Area 5 using comparative catches between days of no compliance operations and when a patrol vessel was present

Van Zyl, D; Johnston, Susan J

An estimate of poaching in Area 5 using comparative catches between days of no compliance operations and when a patrol vessel was present

Working Paper

2015

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Marine Resource Assessment and Management Group

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Abstract

Based on differences in trap catches from days with and without a patrol boat present, the annual theft by poaches from commercial traps in Area 5 is estimated to be 140 tons. For a 16 day period (covering 6 January 2015 -28 January 2015) catches were recorded in Area 5 (sub areas 1 and 2 – North Blinder and Brittania Blinder). During this period no compliance operations took place i.e. no patrol boat was operating in the area. It is known that a common poaching practice is for the poachers to operate at night removing lobsters from the commercial traps. Catches were similarly recorded for a two-day period (29-30 January 2015) when a patrol boat was present in the area – preventing poaching operations. Catches are also available for a longer time period (25/11/14-23/02/15) though this period includes the period of walkouts (after which catches dropped), and can be extracted for the period 25/11/14-28/01/15 which is before the period of the walkouts. Table 1 reports the resultant catch statistics obtained from the commercial trap fishery during these periods.

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