University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Overview, opportunities and outlook for Australian spiny lobster fisheries

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 10:00 authored by Plaganyi, EE, McGarvey, R, Caleb GardnerCaleb Gardner, Caputi, N, Dennis, D, de Lestang, S, Klaas HartmannKlaas Hartmann, Liggins, G, Linnane, A, Ingrid, E, Arlidge, B, Bridget Green, Cecilia VillanuevaCecilia Villanueva
Australia’s lobster fisheries are relatively small in volume (9500t) compared with global production (289,000t), but are the country’s most valuable in terms of both overall production and value of export (2014 Gross Value of Production of $610 million AUD). Further, they support commercial, recreational and indigenous fishers along most of the continent’s coastline. Here we review similarities and key differences between these lobster fisheries, based on biological characteristics, fishery data collection, assessment and management methods, and supply chain considerations. A diverse range of palinurid lobsters occur in Australia, but only three genera, distributed across eight different management jurisdictions, support significant fisheries. Catches of western rock lobster Panulirus cygnus dominate landings (61%), followed by southern rock lobster Jasus edwardsii, tropical lobster Panulirus ornatus and the eastern rock lobster Sagmariasus verreauxi. Large-scale environmental influences such as climate change are impacting on these fisheries in similar or different ways forcing new management and raising the need for greater resilience in current supply chains. Although these are separate fisheries, the integrated nature of the dominant Chinese export markets suggests potentially important economic and market-related interactions. Our overview highlights the critical role of continued monitoring of recruitment pulses, in combination with robust harvest strategies, to ensure that harvests respond adequately and fisheries achieve biological and economic sustainability. Approaches that also include socio-cultural considerations (triple bottom line) are important given many fisheries include indigenous Australians. Our integrated analysis of Australian lobster fisheries highlights differences and similarities with spiny lobster fisheries worldwide and lessons from opportunities, including adapting to new free trade agreements, enhancing the reputation of wild lobsters as a whole, sharing expertise, and better alignment of supply and demand.

History

Publication title

Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries

Volume

28

Pagination

57-87

ISSN

0960-3166

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Kluwer Academic Publ

Place of publication

Van Godewijckstraat 30, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 3311 Gz

Rights statement

Copyright 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Wild caught rock lobster

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC