be permitted to put their traps on certain parts of the lobster-rich reef platform.

However, the news, which came yesterday from Head Fisheries Warden David Garland, is not exactly good news for licensed sport divers.

Mr. Garland told The Royal Gazette there were 17 registered lobster trap fishermen who each had 19 traps.

They would now be allowed to bring ten of those traps up onto the reef platform between January 1 and March 31 as long as they took the other nine out of the water.

There were areas to the east and west of the Island where the fisherman would be allowed to set their traps, he continued.

At the east end they would be allowed to operate to the east of the line between Buoy 15 and the Northeast Beacon and at the west end they could put their traps to the south of the line between Wreck Hill and the Chubb Heads and to the west of Hogfish Channel.

But the approximately 450 licensed sport divers on the Island are now banned from these areas.

The move is solely for trap fishermen as the Department of Fisheries recognises this is a hard time of the year for them, said Mr. Garland.

The department therefore made the concession -- which it hopes will not cause any controversy -- to help the fishermen make a living and compete with the import market.

Hopefully the move will help make the local product cheaper for the consumer and help it compete against the foreign product, said Mr. Garland.

Over 12,000 lobsters were imported so far this year and their low prices made it difficult for fishermen to sell their catch.

Fisheries wardens will accompany fishermen to ensure they do not damage the reefs and that they release any fish they catch.

If the project is a success, continued Mr. Garland, the fishermen will be allowed to do the same thing next year.