One commercial spiny lobster trapping licence is still available, Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson announced yesterday.

Twenty one of the 22 licences to trap the shellfish commercially have been snapped up by local fishermen and the last one available will be given to a lucky commercial fisherman in a draw on August 30.

The spiny lobster season commences September 1 and only those people involved in the commercial lobster fishery or with a valid recreational lobster diving licence can take the creatures from the seas.

The commercial licence is good until March 31 and any bona fide commercial fishermen not already involved in the guinea chick lobster programme, can apply for it by noon on August 30 at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and attend the draw at that location an hour later.

The licence fee is $1,000 which is payable prior to the deployment of any gear.

The licence, which includes rental of Government traps, allows a fishermen to work 15 traps offshore until December 1 at which time there is an option of setting up an inshore fishery using ten traps.

Lobster diving licences are being issued by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries at a cost of $110 each. The last day to get a recreational licence is August 31.

There is a minimum size requirement for a spiny lobster which is a length of three and five-eights inches or 92 millimetres from the ridge at the base of the horns to the end of the carapace.

Further information can be obtained from the Division of Fisheries on 293-1785 or the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on 236-4201.