The V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources announces that the annual queen conch seasonal closure commences on June 1 for both the St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John districts, as established by regulation effective July 1, 2008.
Harvesting of queen conch is prohibited from June 1, 2022, through Oct. 31, 2022. Possession of queen conch is prohibited from June 15, 2022, through Oct. 31, 2022.
Seasonal harvest closures conserve fished populations and help sustain and improve the fisheries of the Virgin Islands. The conch season will reopen on Nov. 1, 2022, and will remain open until midnight, May 31, 2023, or until the 50,000 lbs. quota per district is reached, whichever comes first.
Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol also reminds the public that harvesting and/or possession of mutton and lane snapper are also prohibited territory-wide from April 1 to June 30, 2022.
The commissioner asks for everyone’s cooperation to protect Virgin Islands resources for the present and future benefit of the people of the territory.
For more information about queen conch or other fishing regulations, contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife at 773-1082 on St. Croix or 775-6762 on St. Thomas, or contact the Division of Environmental Enforcement at 773-5774 on St. Croix or 774-3320 on St. Thomas.
