Fisheries Minister Norman Moore has gained Cabinet support to implement a raft of measures to manage the State’s western rock lobster stocks.
The plan to better manage the lobster fishery follows last week’s release of the latest monthly puerulus (young lobsters) count figures which showed puerulus numbers were virtually nil.
“This follows five years of declining puerulus counts and is obviously a matter of serious concern as it means the annual catch of around 11,000 tonnes of western rock lobster is under pressure,” Mr Moore said.
“Today I have gained Cabinet support to implement a raft of new measures to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the State’s western rock lobster stocks, which include:
a 15 per cent reduction on unit entitlements for the commercial rock lobster industry for the 2008-2009 season starting on December 1 or as close to that date as is administratively possible; and
an additional 15 per cent reduction on unit entitlements for 2009-2010 for the beginning of next year’s season.
“Under the already agreed fishing effort – implemented under the previous Labor government – effort reductions of 22 to 24 per cent for the commercial sector are likely to result in an estimated harvest in 2008-2009 of 8300 tonnes of rock lobster,” Mr Moore said.
“The advice I have received is that this harvest figure needs to come down to about 7000 tonnes in the 2009-2010 season to give some respite to the lobster fishery.”
The Minister said his plan to manage the fishery would also extend to recreational fishers.
Mr Moore will change the management of by-product catch in lobster pots for commercial fishers.
The current regulations, making it illegal for professional fishers to retain this catch, will be eased to allow legal sized fish to be retained for personal consumption.
“I will also approach the Commonwealth to invest a larger proportion of the national fisheries research funding pool into the western rock lobster fishery,” he said.
“Currently WA’s proportion of the national funding pool does not equitably reflect the State’s contribution to the nation’s fishing earnings.”
