Fishery Overview
The Western Rocklobster fishery is the most valuable single-species fishery in Australia and usually represents about twenty per cent of the total value of Australia's fisheries. It was also one of the first fisheries in the world to be certified as ecologically sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.Also called 'crayfish' or 'spiny lobsters', rock lobsters are exported mainly to South East Asia, USA and Europe, commanding high prices.
As one of the first managed fisheries in Western Australia, data has been kept on the western rock lobster fishery since the early 1960s. This powerful database enables fisheries scientists to predict catches accurately and fisheries managers to ensure controls are adequate to protect breeding stocks and the sustainability of the fishery.
Eight species of rocklobster are found off the WA coast. However, virtually the entire catch consists of the western rocklobster Panulirus cygnus, caught up to 60km off the coast between Augusta and Shark Bay.
There are three major zones in the fishery, with fishing controls attuned to the annual lobster population, environmental factors and migration patterns. Zone A commences at the Abrolhos Islands on March 15 each year until June 30. Zone B commences on November 15 until June 30. Prior to March 15, both zone A and B fishers fish common ground. The Southern or Metropolitan zone is referred to as zone C and commences on November 25 each year until June 30.
The rocklobster fishery was declared limited entry in March 1963 when licence and pot numbers were frozen. The sustainable catch is estimated at between 10,000 and 15,000 tonnes per year, although the size of the actual catch has varied between 8,000 tonnes and 14,500 tonnes.
During the open season between 25 November and 30 June, lobsters are fished using baited pots (commercial diving for lobsters is banned) although the Abrolhos Islands area stays closed until 15 March.
Althought the price of lobster varies according to catch and market conditions. It is generally produces a high seasonal income. Accordingly, licences and gear have become valuable assets. Depending on the zone fished, a 100-pot licence, together with boat and gear, is valued at about $4 million (2000 - 2001 season) so very high costs are faced by new entrants. The fishery is managed using a series of input or 'effort' controls and between 1987- 1988 and 1991- 1992, ten per cent of the lobster pots were removed from the industry. Since 1963, boat numbers have declined from 836 to 485 (Feb 2008).
Catch predictions for 2008/9 and 2009/10 are expected to be 8,200 tonnes as a result of the recent effort reductions imposed across all zones of the fishery. This is well below the 10 year average of 11,046 tonnes. Poor settlement of juvenile lobster or puerulus is expected to result in a rocklobster catch of 7,200 tonnes in the 2010/11 season.
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