The Coastal Marine Task Force (CMTF) has once again stopped local poachers in their tracks.

With two public reports and two swiftly acting responses, task force members were able to apprehend suspects in Umkomaas recently, for going well over the bag limit of muscleman crabs.

Not only were they over the bag limit by 54 crabs, but CMTF stated the intention was clearly displayed by their use of illegal harvesting tools and without the necessary permit.

Muscleman crabs carry a limit of 15 per person and can only be harvested by hand or with a small scoop net (such as a kids rockpool net), and cannot be sold, bartered or traded. They are also for personal use only.

The task force thanked members of the public, the fishing community, as well as the relevant authorities for their rapid response.

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