David Llewellyn, the Minister for Primary Industries and Water, said that the ministry has reduced the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) for both the rock lobster and the giant crab fisheries for the 2009/10 Season. He further said that the reduction in the rock lobster TACC is a precautionary response to a number of declining indicators in the latest stock assessment.
Llewellyn informed that these indicators include declining catch rates, legal size biomass and continuing below average recruitment in most areas, following stock assessments over the previous two years which showed declines in recruitment trends. He added that the scientific evidence indicates that more rock lobster is being taken from the fishery than is entering it. It is told that while the stocks are sound, a management response is needed now, rather than waiting for more dramatic stock signals to become apparent.
This approach of Llewellyn is supported by the Department and the Crustacean Fishery Advisory Committee which comprises industry and scientific representatives and has been established to advise me on the management of the fishery, based on the best available scientific advice.
It is said that the rock lobster TACC has been set at 1,470.98 tonnes or 140 kg per pot, a reduction of 3.45 percent, and the giant crab TACC has been set at 51.75 tonnes or 50kg per pot, a reduction of 16.7 percent. Its is aid that the changed TAC will be considered as part the resource sharing arrangement to be addressed as part of the review of the Rock Lobster Fishery Management Plan in 2010. The minimum legal size limit of the male giant crab has also been reduced from 150 mm to 140 mm.
