With Jamaica falling prey to poachers in recent times, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Audley Shaw, says there will be strict monitoring of the Jamaican waters.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Kingston this morning (Mar 12), the minister said a surveillance system will be put in place to track legal vessels and investigate illegal ones.

Mr. Shaw said the Fisheries Management and Development Board has allocated some $20 m for the surveillance.

Noting that the queen conch season has been closed and will remain so until January 31, 2020, Mr. Shaw said other illegal fishing activities off shore, near shore and on land will also be monitored.

The fisheries minister explained that this will be enforced by the police, coast guard, fisheries division and the Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit.

He added that the teams will check vessels, restaurants, supermarkets and other relevant persons or establishment for the presence of conch and other illegal fish.

Meantime, it is illegal to sell conch after March 21.

This as the queen conch closed season commenced on March 1 and will end on January 31, 2020.

Director of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Andre Kong says with the closure of the season, persons with conch in their possession should have declared such on or before March 7.

He says by declaring the conch persons are stating the quantity, type of conch, among other things.

Mr. Kong says following verification by the fisheries department and the award of a certificate, persons can sell the conch in their possession if they so desire.

He says if persons have conch in their possession up until March 28 they will have to go through a similar process of declaration once more.

He notes that conch shell normally decorated and used in the tourism industry is exempt.