A 'crab' situation for fishermen as their pots are stolen

Thursday 23 August 2018

A number of crab and lobster pots, belonging to recreational and commercial fishermen, have gone missing - believed to have been stolen - from locations around the coast of Guernsey.

Areas known to have been targeted include the north and eastern coasts in particular with Rousse and Bordeaux named anecdotally to Express.

Tampering or moving crab and lobster pots is a criminal offence in itself and fishermen need a licence to own them with conditions attached to how many shellfish can be caught using them.

Pictured: The latest licence guidelines for fishermen is available on gov.gg here

Sea Fisheries have confirmed that they have been advised of "a recent incident" in which "pots were taken without permission (i.e. stolen)."

The States body said it "advises anyone who is a victim of theft of equipment to report the matter without delay to the police who are the correct authority to deal with the matter."

It also advised that to try and prevent this happening – or at least to increase the chance of equipment being returned to its rightful owner when found - "the Section always and strongly advises that gear is clearly marked in as durable manner possible with the owner’s name or identification."