To sustainably manage Tasmania's marine resources it is important to understand the impacts that management change has on the biological and socio-economic aspects of Tasmania's fisheries.
In order to account for changes in catch rates and biomass levels for future risk assessments of the fishery, changes in fishing practices need to be understood. This is particularly important in the rock lobster fishery where CPUE and biomass levels are key trigger points and performance indicators of the fishery in the Rock Lobster Management Plan.
The change to an ITQ management system in the rock lobster fishery will have immediate impacts on both the rock lobster resource and other marine resources which have the potential, but not capacity, to soak up redirected effort. Within the first three months after quota implimentation there has been an accumulation of quota units on fewer vessels and an associated increased effort in the giant crab and scallop fisheries. To manage these fisheries sustainably, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of effort shift between these fisheries and the consequences of management change in these fisheries on the rock lobster fishery.
In New Zealand, there was an unforseen accumulation of quota units in fewer hands and a change from owner-operators to lease-operators which has had substantial impacts on the socio-economic fabric of the New Zealand rock lobster fishery. One of the policy objectives of the Tasmanian rock lobster fishery is to provide socio-economic benefits to the community. Such benefits would include employment and economic return to coastal communities.
An understanding of the impact of change to an ITQ management system is necessary for development of socio-economic performance indicators in this fishery.