Tasmania has a valuable commercial and recreational rock lobster fishery and we want to ensure it remains sustainable for generations to come.
Paramount to our rock lobster stock levels, particularly on the East Coast, is ensuring the fishery is managed in a sustainable way based on annual data and expert scientific assessment.
Advice from the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies has highlighted serious issues regarding rock lobster stocks on Tasmania’s East Coast.
An unprecedented period of low recruitment between 2007 and 2011 has raised concerns for the status of rock lobster stocks, particularly on the East Coast.
In 2012, East Coast stock levels in some assessment areas were as low as eight per cent of unfished stocks.
In response, a 10 year stock rebuilding strategy was implemented in November 2013 to rebuild stocks to greater than 20 per cent of the unfished stock level and in excess of the peak stock levels of the mid 2000s.
Both the commercial and recreational sectors have been limited in the amount of lobsters taken each year to achieve the strategy’s goal, to protect the future of the East Coast fishery.
Previously introduced measures such as limits on commercial catch and compulsory closures of the commercial fishery have assisted in recent years.
However, as the stocks have begun to rebuild, the recreational catch is likely to exceed the notional 42 tonne limit by approximately 10 tonnes by the end of this year’s recreational season.
It is clear that the current fishing levels on Tasmania’s East Coast are not sustainable and an interim measure must be put in place for recreational fishers to secure the future of the fishery. Commercial fishers have already had limits imposed and are currently operating within those limits.
Proposed amendments to the Rock Lobster Fishery Management Plan will help to provide for a sustainable commercial and recreational fishery into the future and include:
These interim measures are critical to ensuring we protect the stock rebuilding process to ensure we have a fishery in the future.
While these interim measures are in place, the Government will continue to work closely with the peak bodies, the Tasmanian Association for Recreational Fishing (TARFish) and the Tasmanian Rock Lobster Fisherman’s Association (TRLFA), on a long term solution to the challenges we face on the East Coast. These have been productive discussions to date and we will continue to work together to explore the options for a longer term solution.
An information paper has been released to assist members of the public wishing to make a submission on the proposed amendments to the Fishery Management Plan. The submission period will run from August 5 until midnight September 3.
Further information is available at: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au and http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/sea-fishing-aquaculture/sustainable-fisheries-management/fishery-reviews/rock-lobster-management-plan-amendments
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