Five suspects arrested for poaching rock lobsters near Olifantsbos

Lusanda Bill
23 April 2015

Five suspects have been arrested for poaching West Coast rock lobster in a marine protected area near Olifantsbos.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith in a statement said the rock lobster season closed three weeks ago, but as this incident proves, there are those who insist on ignoring the law and plundering our marine living resources for personal gain.

Smith said the officers confiscated 138 lobsters with an estimated street value of R6 000 and they arrested the occupants on the boat on charges of fishing on a restricted area.

City of Cape Town’s JP Smith said the men were all residents of Oceanview and were processed at the Simon’s Town police station and their boat was impounded at the Stikland Bellville South police impound lot.

“Sadly three of the men have previous convictions for poaching which does prove that the criminal justice system is simply not dealing effectively with these offenders” Smith added.

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