the authorities of the location of their illegal fish pots.

But Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson, who announced the initiative in the House of Assembly last Friday, insisted that it was too early to be disappointed.

Mr. Hodgson offered what amounted to a one-month amnesty in response to fears that large numbers of "ghost'' pots were still lying at the bottom of the reefs indiscriminately decimating fish stocks.

He said Fisheries wardens would not pursue the source of any information given to them before August 15. It was hoped this would entice fishermen scared of being prosecuted for still having the mesh pots -- banned in 1990 -- to come forward so they could be removed.

But Government Information Services confirmed that so far it had received no information about the location of any pots.

Mr. Hodgson said Thursday: "It is early days yet. People have to think about it and talk about it.''