CHRISTIANSTED — The annual queen conch season officially ends today, according to the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
DPNR said that harvesting queen conch and the possession of queen conch during the closed season is prohibited on St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island as of June 1.
Ending the conch fishing season now helps to conserve the large snail population and helps to sustain the fisheries of the Virgin Islands.
The Queen Conch season will re-open again on November 1 and will remain open until midnight, May 31, 2021, or until the 50,000 lb. quota per district is reached, whichever comes first.
The DPNR also announced a reminder that fishing for (or possession of) mutton and lane snapper is also prohibited from April 1 to June 30, 2021.