President Luis Abinader issued Decree 281-23 establishing a two-year continuation on any capture of the fish and sea creatures that populate the nation’s coral reefs. This is most obviously aimed at the parrot fish and all of its relatives, but also includes shellfish such as the conch and even sea cucumbers. Only samples to be used for research purposes may be taken with strict permission granted by the Ministry of the Environment.
One might ask: What is so important about parrot fish and conch? The fact that coastal Dominican Republic is nearly void of any spiny lobsters, sea bass, and other popular fish should be sufficient reason. However, Jose Ramon Reyes, the Deputy Minister for Coastal and Marine Resources, noted that the sea life included in the decree are vital to the health of the nation’s coral reefs, and the coral reefs are vital to the nation’s tourism industry. In fact, the parrot fish and its cousins are the true “keepers of the reefs” with their eating habits and careful pruning of the reefs.
The decree also reaffirms the permanent prohibition on the taking of any type of eels in any of the waters surrounding the country.
Furthermore, scuba fishing using compressors is totally prohibited. These prohibitions are in general use throughout the Caribbean and Central America.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
3 July 2023