Persons seeking to dive, break or sell sea eggs when the season opens on Sunday, September 15, are reminded that they should adhere to the conditions outlined on their licence.
Licences are available from the Fisheries Division on Princess Alice Highway, Bridgetown, from today, Monday, September 9, until Friday, September 13, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Under the licence, vendors are reminded that only food grade containers should be used for handling, processing and distributing sea eggs.
The Fisheries Division has advised that no recycled containers, including those which previously contained chemicals, such as detergent, paint, engine oil, sanitizers or disinfectants, cat litter, trowel plastic or pool cleaning materials, should be used during the processing and packaging of sea egg roes for sale.
In addition, the packaged product should be placed in a cooler with ice for storage until sale, and frozen, if not sold within 12 hours.
The Fisheries Division has also advised that no water or any other material should be added to containers to increase the amount of the product in the package.
Meanwhile, those diving for sea eggs are asked to note that no scuba gear should be used to dive for the delicacy, and they are also prohibited from removing immature or small sea eggs from the fishing grounds.
Persons are cautioned not to break the sea eggs over the fishing ground where there are sea eggs, and against leaving broken shells exposed on the beach.
They are advised to bury the shells deep in the sand, high up on the beach beyond the high water mark and deep enough not to surface and cause harm to users of the beach or nearshore waters.
Persons handling sea eggs are also reminded that they should not wear jewellery, artificial nails, long nails or nail polish when processing the sea egg roes.
The licence expires at the close of the sea egg season on Monday, October 14.