THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT {DEPARTMENT) ANNOUNCES THE WEST COAST ROCK LOBSTER TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH {TAC) AND TOTAL APPLIED EFFORT {T AE) FOR THE 2022/2023 FISHING SEASON

View their public notice posted on the 20th of October 2022, a summary of dates below.

The 2022/2023 WCRL recreational fishing effort is limited to 12 days between 16 December 2022 and 9 April 2023. Fishing will be allowed as follows:

Crayfishing Dates As Follows:

  • From 16 December 2022 to 17 December 2022 (2 days)
  • From 24th December 2022 (1 day)
  • From 26th December 2022 to 1st January 2023 (7 days)
  • From 8th April 2023 to 9th April 2023 (2 days)

It should be noted that only persons over the age of twelve (12) may obtain a recreational fishing permit allowing the fishing, collecting, keeping, controlling, landing, transporting of, or possession of not more than four (4) WCRL per day. A seasonal WCRL recreational fishing permit costs R94 and can be purchased at the Post Office. A recreational fishing permit is valid for the entire season.

WCRL may be caught between 08h00 and 16h00 daily. The bag limit is four (4) per person per day and the size restriction is eighty (80) millimetres of carapace length. No person catching WCRL with a recreational fishing permit shall sell their catch. Any WCRL caught, collected, or transported must be kept in a whole state.

Contact us at Hooked On Africa to book your charter.

(Charters are subject to weather conditions on the day.)

As per the announcement of the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, please also refer to their media release here guidance for more information.