Measuring up short: Fish legislation & conservation in TT

Published in The Boca Magazine

Vol. 12, Issue #2 (April-May 2012)

Contributor: The Tackle Shop

Any die-hard Trini would tell you that nothing hits the spot like a good bake ‘n shark.  But as much I love this culinary delight, I feel guilty, especially given the size of shark often offered up for sale at local markets.  Sometimes they’re no longer than your forearm which brings into question fishing legislation and conservation in Trinidad and Tobago. 

So what exactly is on the books in the Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51?  In nutshell, kingfish, carite, and grouper less than 30.5cm in length are off-limits.  Redfish, jacks, and salmon over 20.3cm are free rein.  No mention of sharks. In fact, many fish types are overlooked.  This snapshot of fishing legislation highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to conservation since current policies specify a minimum fish size regardless of individual fish species. 

Case in point: kingfish. Regulations state that no kingfish less than 30.5cm in length “shall be taken or sold or exposed for sale.” Compare this to Florida’s Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations, Issue 40, Jan. 2012: the minimum kingfish size limit is 61cm fork length.  Kingfish are reproductively mature in 3-4 years by which time males are on average 71cm fork length and females 81cm.  At 30.5cm, a Trini kingfish happily swimming in the Boca is nowhere close to maturity and ought not to be taken, sold, or exposed for sale. It is obvious that existing size limits are not informed by the species’ biological lifecycle and morphology, a shortcoming that policy makers need to address.