In the 2000-2001 Western Rock Lobster season approximately 16000 tonnes of bait was used at a cost to the industry of approximately $21.5 million. Savings on bait that do not reduce the catch of lobster have the potential to significantly increase the profitability of the industry. A preliminary study into the efficacy of bait saving devices indicated that reductions in the amount of bait deployed of approximately 40% are likely to be achievable without reducing catch rates, whilst with a redesigned and more efficient bait saver reductions could be by as much as 90%. Such a reduction in bait usage would equate to a saving of between $8 and $19 million in the 2000-2001 season (WAFIC IDU project 04-01, and excluding initial cost of bait savers). The use of bait savers may be even more important with the newly introduced ban on lifting pots around the full moon (February-June, Zone C), and a ban on lifting pots on Sundays (after 15th of March, Zone B). Projections, based on the Puerulus Settlement Survey, are for drastically reduced catch rates over the next three seasons, i.e. between 9500 and 10500 tonnes, whilst oil prices continue to increase and are currently ~US$70 per barrel. Thus, there is an ever increasing need to develop ways in which fishermen can make savings. The development of bait saving strategies that do not reduce the catch of lobster is one way that fishermen could increase their profits. In future classification of a fishery as ecologically sustainable may include considerations of its impact on other organisms, e.g. its effects on bait species. The current study has the potential to further consolidate the fishery as ecologically sustainable.

This project addresses the following priority area identified by WAFRAB:

Business improvement/cost competitiveness within fishing industry: fuel costs/gear design.

The catches of Australia’s rock lobster fisheries are at or near their maximum level. However, adding value to the rocklobster catch will ensure continuing and improved returns for industry. This can be achieved by way of enshrining maximum quality on delivery to the processing factories, maximum survival of live lobsters shipped to overseas destinations, perfect cooking regimes for the portion of the product processed for this market either in Australia or overseas, the maximum recovery during processing, and a continuous maintenance and upgrading of handling conditions, maintaining and improving health and safety conditions, and having respect for community welfare concerns.

The purpose of the Subprogram is to work with industry to identify the opportunities and priorities to enhance products and profitability and to assist industry meet these challenges. It then seeks to identify and support the research needed to provide answers to permit industry to grasp these opportunities, in a cost effective and timely manner. The outcomes of the research are rapidly provided to industry in a form that allows industry to capture the benefits of the research for the Australian industry. Of special importance is the need for the Subprogram to co-ordinate research effort, eliminate duplication of applications and ensure that projects are relevant.

The global market for lobsters now demands Australia to compete effectively in these markets, and the subprogram assists in ensuring that there is capacity to achieve this to allow the industry to maintain and improve its competitive advantage.

The closures to fishing declared as part of the Jurien Bay Marine Park are administered by the WA Department of Conservation and Land Management and are intended to conserve marine biodiversity and ecosystem function. The potential effectiveness of these closures for protecting both fished and unfished species, relative to alternative, more traditional, fisheries management strategies, is very uncertain. We propose to identify food web linkages between important fish stocks and other biota in the Jurien region and to evaluate how the food webs, and hence the fish stocks, respond to fishing closures. This research will address two of the high priority research areas for the WA FRAB: evaluating marine park planning (Priority 5); and developing an understanding of the knowledge requirements for cost-effective, ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries (Priority 6). In addition, it provides approaches to assess further the impact and role of rock lobsters and key finfish e.g. snapper, wrasse, dhufish, baldchin groper, in the broader ecosystem. This is one of the questions identified explicitly for investigation by the Rock Lobster Ecosystem Scientific Reference Group and an essential element of strategies to address the ESD obligations of fisheries. Although initially focused on the Jurien region, the qualitative and quantitative modelling approaches will increase the general understanding and develop knowledge that can be used to explore management options, including the design of protected areas, in other parts of temperate Western Australia. This project will provide approaches to promote the ecologically sustainable use of natural fisheries resources along the temperate west coast, thus helping to meet the requirements for Fisheries under the EPBC Act.

It has been clearly identified by industry members that there is a need for improved and/or alternative processing methods for crustacean species in Australia. Developments in international trade and food standards indicate that a review of current and alternative processing methods is required. Any improvements in the yield and quality of the cooked products will result in a significant market advantage and increased profitability.

Initial studies will focus on western rock lobster as this is a high value market in which a significant portion of the catch is processed. It is proposed that further complementary projects will be initiated to extend this work to other species of crustacea and other technologies over the next few years.

The western rock lobster industry turns over $300 million annually, with 70% of the catch currently marketed as processed product. The major issues with western rock lobster cooking are weight recovery and melanosis reduction. Melanosis occurrence is related to cooking methods (FRDC 2001/235). Currently sulphites, are widely used in the seafood industry to alleviate melanosis, but high levels of sulphites results in a negative impact on flavour and health (McEvily and Iyengar ,1992). Other antibrowning agents, such as Everfresh (4-hexylresorcinol), have not found wide application. For some decades, western rock lobster processors have attempted to refine their traditional cooking method (batch boiling), but to no avail. Recent advances in alternative cooking methods offer the possibilities to improve yields. For example, when compared to boiling, Laitram Machinery Inc., reports typical yield increases of 2% for steamed homarid lobster. A 2% improvement in cooked weight recovery would bring an additional return of approx. $2.6 million per season to the western rock lobster industry. There is a need to address a number of questions regarding the impact of alternative cooking methods on weight recovery and melanosis rates for the western rock lobster. For the first time, these impacts can be assessed objectively using key information gathered in FRDC project 2001/235.

THE WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER FISHERY IS CURRENTLY MANAGED BY INPUT CONTROLS. THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENT IS UNDER REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO A MOVE TOWARDS OUTPUT CONTROLS IN 2006. THERE IS RECOGNITION BY WA FISHERIES AND INDUSTRY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOCIAL DIMENSION AND THE NEED TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGES IN MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS. THIS STUDY WILL ASSESS THE SOCIAL COMPONENT OF THE FISHERY WHICH WILL INFORM MANAGERS AND INDUSTRY ON THE LIKELY SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGES TO THE EXISTING MANAGEMENT RULES, IN PARTICULAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF A CHANGE FROM INPUT TO OUTPUT CONTROLS. INDUSTRY HAS INDICATED THAT ANY DECISION ON THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF THE WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER FISHERY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL DIMENSION. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH MOST studies THAT highlight the importance of the social dimension and conclude that more extensive investigation IN THIS AREA is required.

The lack of a well developed model for assessing the social consequences of the industry on hosting communities is a substantial and significant gap in knowledge. Failure to address this gap means that future decision regarding the industry will be flawed. Reliable and valid sustainability assessments must be based on a genuine integration of the environmental, economic and social elements of the triple bottom line. This is consistent with the industry commitment to ESD, and addresses key elements of the FRDC research priorities. The 2000-2005 FRDC R & D Plan states, “it is important to understand social impacts of implementing fisheries management regimes…ESD will be pursued most effectively when the industry is economically strong and when social benefits are clear”. AN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS THAT FLOW TO THE INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY FROM ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER RESOURCE WILL ADDRESS THIS IMPERATIVE.

THE OUTCOMES OF THE RESEARCH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ENSURING THAT THE FISHERY REMAINS WELL MANAGED AND COMMITED TO PRINCIPLES OF ESD. THE POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION OF THIS PROJECT TO A WIDE RANGE OF DECISION AND PLANNING PROCESSES RECOGNISES THE SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS AND IMPACTS OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN GENERAL AND THE ROCK LOBSTER FISHERY IN PARTICULAR. AS SUCH, THE STUDY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A RANGE OF IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT WILL GUIDE THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA INCLUDING:

A) THE INDUSTRY PROJECT: "DETERMINING THE BEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER INDUSTRY". THIS INTEGRATED 3 YEAR PROJECT WILL ASSESS THE SOCIAL, ECONONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THREE DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT SCENARIOS ON THE WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER FISHERY AND THEIR HOSTING COMMUITIES. THE MAIN DRIVER FOR THE PROJECT IS NATIONAL COMPETITION POLICY. THIS RESEARCH WILL ENABLE DECISION MAKERS TO ADDRESS THE NCP'S ‘NET COMMUNITY BENEFIT’ TEST WITH A FULL APPRECIATION OF THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF CHANGES ON FLEET HOSTING COMMUNITIES. THIS DATA IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.

B) MARINE PARK PLANNING: A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF REALLOCATING FISHERIES RESOURCES FROM EXTRACTIVE USERS SUCH AS COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHERIES TO NON EXTRACTIVE USERS SUCH AS DIVE CHARTERS REQUIRE INFORMATION ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WILL ENABLE THE MARINE PARK PLANNING PROCESS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SOCIAL COSTS OF CHANGES THAT WILL RESULT FROM MARINE PARK PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A SERIES OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS ON COASTAL COMMUNITIES.

C) INTEGRATED FISHERIES MANAGEMENT: THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT WILL ASSIST DECISION MAKERS ENGAGED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PLAN. THIS PLAN WILL HAVE IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND A FULL APPRECIATION OF THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS IS CRUCIAL TO INFORMED, INTEGRATED PLANNING. THE BASIS OF INTEGRATED FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IS EXPLICIT ALLOCATION OF THE FISHERIES RESOURCES BETWEEN EXTRACTIVE USERS, FOR EXAMPLE, AN EXPLICIT ALLOCATION OF WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER BETWEEN THE RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTOR. THIS RESEARCH WILL ASSIST IN UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL COSTS OR BENEFITS OF REALLOCATION OF THE RESOURCE FROM COMMERCIAL TO RECREATIONAL USERS.