A woman has approached the Western Cape High Court to ask for a "full suspension" of West Coast rock lobster fishing for up to 10 years, the Cape Times reported.

Judith Sole believed the resource was in decline, fishing quotas were not sustainable, and that the species was close to "commercial extinction", according to the report.

She reportedly lodged the application in the public interest in January and was arguing the matter herself, even though she was not a lawyer.

Sole told Judge Burton Fourie on Thursday that drastic action was needed in the form of a full suspension, or, alternatively, to allow only subsistence fishing but not commercial fishing.

Lawyers for the fisheries department questioned whether she had considered the socio-economic consequences of her request.

The West Coast Rock Lobster Association reportedly said that should a suspension be granted, it wanted a plan to be established to assist with subsidies.

Judgment was expected on Thursday.