Stock Assessment
2016/17 Sock Assessment Report
Alternate Pot Design
This project is currently in phase two. Alternate pots are being trialled in the Northern Zone. Industry is formally testing and comparing the catch efficiency of the designs.
The SANZRLFA hopes to make efficiency gains using an alternate pot to help drive economic benefit to its members whilst maintaining sustainability of the fishing stock.
Spatial & Temporal Project
This project was an industry lead initiative to explore alternative fishing arrangements a temporal and special scale. The project was developed via a series of meetings with the South Australian Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fisherman’s Association, PIRSA Fisheries & Aquaculture & SARDI.
Input was also given by the Research Sub Committee of the Rock Lobster Fishery Management Advisory Committee (RLFMAC). It has direct links to the Southern Rock Lobster (SRL) strategic plan and was approved by the SRL board.
From a special perspective this project aimed to explore a number of management options for the fishery by using financial incentives to encourage higher levels of exploitation in both the western and off shore regions that are currently not fished in the current fishing season due to market demands.
The results from this project drove a spatially managed fishery and the industry currently has an extended fishing season to enhance profitability by supplying product at times of low supply and higher prices in its outer region.
View the Full Report here
Linnane, A., McGarvey, R., Matthews, J., Feenstra, J., Jones, A. and Toumazos, K. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences) 2016, Informing spatial and temporal management of the South Australian Northern Zone Southern Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) fishery. Final Report to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Pot Sampling
Licence holders participate in a voluntary catch sampling program throughout the season. This involves the use of 3 research pots in conjunction with their commercial fishing gear to generate actual information to inform the fishery management process. 2 full time research officers are employed during the season. This program has increased the data available to our research provider by 100%.
Puerulus Monitoring Program
The Puerulus Monitoring Program has been undertaken across South East Australia since the early 1970’s but quantified annual indicies of settlement did not develop until the 1990’s.
The initial research was driven by the twin aims of understanding both long term settlement trends and the biology of early life history. In more recent years the focus has changed to examine the use of quantified puerulus settlement indices (PRI) as indicators for future recruitment for the fishable biomass.
Rates of puerulus and post puerulus settlement have been monitored by four collection stations in the NZRLF since 1996.
More information on the life cycle of the Southern Rock Lobster and puerulus.
Puerelus 12-24 Months
