Food is a primary factor affecting the growth and survival of juvenile western rock lobsters in nursery areas. Determining how far juveniles travel when searching for food is essential in determining the size of area foraged and how much food is potentially available to them. Knowledge of foraging patterns and feeding activity of juvenile western rock lobsters is, therefore, required to understand their ecology.

Studies on natural foraging activity of rock lobsters are difficult. The animals feed at night and it is only possible for divers to observe a few animals. In addition, the natural behavior of rock lobsters is affected by the presence of divers. The lobsters hide from the divers in the seagrass beds instead of foraging.

Phillips et al. (1984) developed a method of remotely tracking juvenile western rock lobsters using electromagnetic tags. Natural foraging distances and activity can be determined by this method, enabling researchers to monitor the position of the tagged lobsters throughout the night.

Scampi, or species of clawed lobsters of the genus Metanephrops, occur on the continental slopes of many countries in the world, however, prior to 1985 were commercially fished only in deep water off south east Africa, Metanephrops andamanicus and experimentally in the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, Metanephrops binghami.

The presence of scampi on the north west slope of Australia was first reported by the survey steamer Investigator in 1891, but it was not until 1985 that a commercial fishery based on three species of scampi (Metanephrops andamanicus, M. australiensis and M. boschmai) was developed.

Thee scant scientific knowledge of these species used to establish initial management plans for the fishery prompted the initiation of a CSIRO research program. This three year research program, which commenced in January 1986, aimed to collect fundamental information on the fisheries biology of these animals in order that a rational long term management strategy for the fishery could be designed.