With the deadline on Friday, Agriculture and Fisheries director John Barnes said there were about half or nearly 100 of the 194 full-time fishermen who were behind with their forms.

"If they don't get these figures in, they risk losing their classification as professional fishermen, and therefore their duty-free status,'' he said.

Fisheries officials also reminded fishermen that the licensing of commercial fishing vessels is scheduled to take place from February 1 through March 31 at the office of the Division of Fisheries at Coney Island.

Appointments can be made to renew vessel licences by ringing on 293-1785.

THEFTS WHILE FAMILY SLEEPS CRM Theft while family sleeps Police officers are looking for a brazen thief or thieves who entered a Southampton home while the family were asleep and stole cash and jewellry.

Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning said the break-in occurred at a Fork Lane residence yesterday.

He said the family went to sleep at around midnight and woke several hours later to find their front and kitchen doors wide open.

On checking their house they found a handbag containing cash and jewellry along with some personal items had been stolen.