Assessment of the Victorian rock lobster fishery
Final report
The southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsit) is fished commercially in south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. The Victorian annual catch is currently 458 tonnes with a landed value of $14.5 million representing 10.6% of total rock lobster landings in south east Australia (ABARE 1997). Over eighty percent of Victoria's catch is taken in the Western Management Zone (from the South Australian border to Apollo Bay).
Catch rates in the Victorian fishery have shown a steady decline from 2.5 kg/potlift in the 1950's to 0.47 kg/potlift in 1996/93 (Anon 1997). Since this time, the Western Zone catch rates have stabilised at around 0.5 kg/potlift (Anon 1997). The Ea.stem Zone catch rate declined steadily until 1992/93, and has shown some stabilisation over the past two years a.nd is currently around 0.3 kg/potlift (Anon 1997).
Investigation of the biology of the species in Victoria highlighted the differences between the two management zones particularly with respect to size composition of the commercial catch, size at onset of sexual maturity (SOM), movement and growth.
Keywords: Southern rock lobster; Jasus edwardsii; abundance estimation; size at maturity; fecundity; recreational catch; stock assessment; growth; tagging.
Evaluation of methods to assess abalone abundance
Tactical Research Fund: enhanced Murray cod recreational fisheries outcomes across the Murray-Darling Basin through improved collaboration and alignment of management and research activities
Murray cod is an iconic freshwater angling species yet the species is listed as threatened (IUCN: upgraded to Critically Endangered in October 2008). It's distribution range covers the Murray-Darling Basin and, hence there is an opportunity for fisheries agencies to collaborate to develop and adopt better fisheries management practices to enhance community benefits from the fishery. Such an approach would be consistent with the Primary Industries Ministerial Council Policy commitment to collaborate nationally and use research, development and extension services more effectively and efficiently.
To achieve the above there is an need to:
1. Improve research deliver i.e. improve information flow between fisheries management and environment management agencies to avoid research duplication, break down jurisdictional silo’s (share information), improve cost effectiveness, timeliness and quality of research (peer review),
2. Align fisheries management and policy i.e. there are significant difference in fisheries management approaches between jurisdictions, e.g. stocking policy, population modelling, bag and size limits etc.,
3. Better align research directions to meet fisheries management needs,
4. Better coordinate between fisheries management agencies in dealing with illegal take for sale trade (note: declaration of Murray cod as a priority species in Victoria),
5. Address a growing division of opinion about the status of Murray cod populations between anglers, fisheries managers and environmental agencies.
A cross-jurisdictional workshop in December 2009 is proposed to bring key resource management agencies together to develop a shared vision for the Murray cod recreational fishery. The forum will also faciliate better engagement with the recreational angling represenative groups and ensure research is aligned to fisheries management objectives.
Improved collaboration will ensure research is driven by resource management objectives, reduce the risk of research duplication, drive policy and research alignment and improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of applied research and development.