The West Coast Rock Lobster is high on the list as a delicacy and yet its stocks sit at only 2% of its original population and it is also one of the marine species facing immense poaching pressure.
With abalone stocks having been depleted in many areas poachers have turned to diving for the rock lobster. Over and above immense poverty in coastal communities, the inadequate allocation of rites to these coastal communities is exacerbating the poaching. Until government provides equitable fishing rites or viable alternatives of overcoming poverty, marine poaching will continue unabated. Sadly this places both the marine rangers, who are tasked with protecting the resources and the poachers at risk as clashes are inevitable. Poaching is not only an environmental tragedy, it is also a societal tragedy!
