It's no surprise rock lobsters are walking out onto the beach these days. They don't stand much chance in the ocean. Despite rampant poaching along the coast, with stock estimates sitting at about 3% of "pristine" levels, the government this week increased the total allowable catch for the seafood delicacy.Even more controversial, the increase is applicable only to the offshore commercial sector - the big fishing companies - and not to recreational or small-scale fishermen.This week The Times established that:The decision to increase the offshore commercial rock lobster quota to 1243.48 tons (previously 1120.25 tons) has gone down like a lead balloon with small-scale fishermen, including interim relief fishers who eke out a marginal living on a subsistence ration.The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries believes the decision is justified because the offshore commercial sector relinquished a significant part of its quota during previous allocations. An agreement was in place that they would therefore be the first to benefit if there were signs of resource recovery.Despite signs of recovery along some parts of the coast, other areas are still in serious trouble, including the Cape Peninsula, where poaching is still rife.One section of the west coast, close to Dassen Island, is so bad that it has been declared off-limits. Only "sampling" is allowed in this area, in order to monitor what is going on.In addition, The Times is in possession of a Fisheries-commissioned report, still under wraps, which suggests the department is effectively sabotaging the coastal economy by decreasing the proportion of rock lobster quota available for recreational fishermen.The report, completed in November 2012, recommends an increase in quota for the recreational sector, which generates annual direct expenditure of more than R292-million, the report said.Gary Simpson, former head of Cosatu's fishing desk, said the increase for big companies was surprising."How do they justify giving it to the people who destroyed the resource?" Simpson said.Andy Johnston from the Artisinal Fishers Association bemoaned the state of the resource, which he described as critical.The department did not respond to queries yesterday. However, a department source said the increase had been prompted by a partial resource recovery in two west coast coastal zones."Things are looking a bit better overall," he said. "Now that there is some indication of a situation better than we expected, it is only reasonable that the offshore commercial should be the first ones to benefit because they were hardest hit [with quota decreases] in the past. There was a clear agreement about that."..