Behaviour of Ongrown Juvenile Spiny Lobsters, Jasus edwardsii after Reseeding to a Coastal Reef in Tasmania, Australia

Detailed information on movement, behavior and habitat use is required to assess survival of juvenile lobsters released from tanks back to natural reef. To this end, acoustic tags were used to track nine juvenile lobsters from three treatment groups: lobsters ongrown for 1 year from wild-caught pueruli, locally caught wild lobsters and translocated wild lobsters. All lobsters were tracked for 11 days and recaptured. Lobsters moved only at night; during the day they sheltered in dens within the reef. All lobsters selected dens providing apparently good shelter, and ongrown lobsters were as likely as wild-caught lobsters to cohabit with other wild juveniles and adults. Highest levels of activity occurred in the initial 12 h after release. Distances moved each night declined throughout the study, whereas the likelihood of lobsters occupying the same den on consecutive days increased. Translocated lobsters showed no homing tendencies. Ongrown lobsters showed evidence of adapting to wild food sources, although their diet differed from that of wild lobsters. Similarities in behavior of wild and ongrown lobsters are encour¬aging for future reseeding efforts.