In 1999/2000 the estimated value of Australia’s rock lobster industry was $544 million and this represented 23% of the landed value of all Australian fisheries.

As Australia’s premier fisheries export there is a need to ensure that our lobster fisheries are managed sustainably and that they clearly demonstrate to the world that our research and management is ‘state-of-the-art’ and ‘worlds best practice’. By hosting this conference in Australia, it will enable the maximum number of fishery scientists, managers and industry representatives to attend and meet with scientists, managers and fishers associated with lobster fisheries around the world.

An area of particular interest to Australia includes lobster ecosystem models and assessment. There is a need in all of Australia’s lobster fisheries to address ecosystem issues for both Environment Australia and forthcoming ecological sustainable development requirements. In association with these requirements there is a need for Australia’s premier fisheries export industry to obtain and maintain industry accreditation for current and developing markets. Several Australian States, with the support of the FRDC Rock Lobster and Aquaculture Subprogram are investigating the potential for a rock lobster aquaculture industry. To aid this development there is a need to be abreast of the latest developments around the world.

The conference will also provide an opportunity to hear of the application of new technology and to form partnerships with experts pioneering new developments.

Enhancement offers a mechanism to increase production of rock lobsters, both by increasing production from coastal reef and by providing a mechanism for biologically neutrality in the harvest of puerulus (and thus overcomes a barrier to ongrowing). Additional benefits include the ability to increase biomass and egg production in regions considered depleted, which enhances resource sustainability.

While the potential benefits of enhancement are broad, the value of the concept is critically affected by the survival of juveniles after release. Low survival would reduce the economic benefit and also nullify assumptions on the biologically neutrality of the harvest of puerulus.

The proposed project addresses the need for information on how to release juveniles (or condition juveniles prior to release) so that survival is optimised. Future release efforts will be assisted by information on habitat choice, so that return from enhancement is maximised, in terms of animals surviving through to harvest size. Large scale experiments tracking the cohorts of released juveniles will evaluate enhancement on a pilot-scale - patterns apparent in small scale experiments may not hold true in larger releases so larger scale experimental releases are considered vital.