A section of North Shore will be closed to all fishing activities for two months to protect a species of fish.

People caught fishing in the zone surrounding St. Catherine’s Point, St. George’s — named an “aggregation area” — can face fines of up to $25,000 or two years in jail.

It has been set up for the conservation of the blue-striped grunt, a fish found in the Atlantic and Caribbean, named after the noise it makes with its teeth. Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield yesterday revealed the zone would be in place from May 1 to June 30 for the area off the North Shore from St. Catherine’s Point to Fort George.

It comes after Ms Butterfield was given new powers to prohibit fishing in certain areas for up to 90 days to preserve stocks and protect spawning sites. Previously, there was nothing to guard threatened fish which schooled in previously unprotected areas.