Bahamas crawfish catch falls two-thirds amid illegal off-season harvesting

Crawfish catches in key Bahamian fishing grounds have dropped by up to two-thirds versus prior years, with operators attributing the decline to increased illegal off-season harvesting and other pressures. The scale of the fall-off is unverified beyond operator reports, and the sustainability of the fishery is now in question. This threatens the livelihoods of fishing communities and the country's seafood export sector.