Integrated Fisheries Management Report Rock Lobster Resource

This report is the first in a series of Integrated Fisheries Management (IFM) reports required under the 2004 Government Policy on IFM. Under this policy, the Executive Director of Fisheries is required to approve a sustainability report for each fishery, which includes a clear statement on the harvest level. The sustainable harvest level is that total catch, or catch range, that is to be allocated among the various user groups identified for that particular fishery.

These IFM reports will assist in the process of allocating explicit shares in the use of Western Australia's fish resources. They do not establish the initial allocations for use of fish resources. They are a statement of what is known about those resources and current use patterns. The reports will become a primary, but not exclusive, resource for the Integrated Fisheries Allocation Advisory Committee (IFAAC) when forming their recommendations to the Minister on initial allocations for each fish resource. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries established IFAAC in October 2004 specifically to advise him on these allocations. The Minister, on consideration of IFAAC's advice, will then make a determination on the allocations to each sector.

This IFM report addresses the western rock lobster resource throughout its range.

Western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus) occurs on the continental shelf of Western Australia from Exmouth Gulf to Augusta, with much of the stock occurring between Perth and Geraldton. It is fished in two phases of its life – as “white” lobsters and as “reds”.

Based on strong scientific research, the sustainable harvest level for the rock lobster resource taken by all sectors has been set as a range – 9,500 to 15,000 tonnes. Predicted catches for each of the three major user groups – commercial, recreational and customary fishers – have also been estimated for each zone of the commercial fishery.

The West Coast Rock Lobster Managed Fishery (WCRLMF) is recognised internationally as one of the most effectively managed commercial fisheries in the world. With an annual average catch of 11,400 tonnes, the fishery contributes between $250 – 350 million to the State's economy. The fishery also has regional significance, as its 545 boats are based in a number of centres along the west coast between Augusta and Kalbarri. Consequently, management of this fishery is not just an ecological issue, but also a socio-economic one, as whole towns and regions have been built on the back of the fishing industry.

The WCRLMF is open from 15 November each year until 30 June in the following year. The fishery is managed using input controls – specifically through the allocation of total allowable effort (total number of pot lifts) to individual pot holders operating in three zones. The three zones are the waters south of latitude 30° S (C Zone), north of latitude 30° S (B Zone) and, within this northern area, a third offshore zone (A Zone) around the Abrolhos Islands. Total effort (which is aligned to harvest rates and hence to predicted catches from the fishery) in the fishery is controlled by changing the value of the effort unit; affecting the number of pots that can be used for that season. This system is backed up by various biological controls such as size limits, and bans on keeping tarspot or setose lobsters and berried females.

Co-existing with the commercial fishery is an increasing recreational fishery. Population growth, an aging population, increasing leisure time and a move of people to live near the coast all contribute to the rise in numbers of people involved in recreational lobster fishing. Recreational catches have grown from an estimated 486 tonnes in 1997/98 to an estimated 815 tonnes in 2003/04. Although these figures are based on a survey technique that is likely to overestimate catch, the results are valuable as there is a long data series that provides good indications of trends.

The recreational fishery is managed through the requirement to hold a recreational rock lobster fishing licence. There is no restriction on the number of licences that can be issued. In 2002/03, 44,455 licences that allowed rock lobster fishing were issued. It is estimated that about 75% of these were used to take rock lobster. Other controls include a limit of two pots per licensee, size limits on lobsters, limits on how divers can take catch, and daily bag limits.

The majority of recreational fishing occurs in Zone C off the metropolitan region of Perth, with the key recreational fishing occurring in waters out to 20m depths. The prime time for recreational fishing is during the “whites” run, as the migrating lobsters are most available to the recreational sector. This also coincides with the peak holiday period of summer.

The lack of data on customary fishing complicates the allocation process, however it is recognised that inshore fish resources are an important component of indigenous life. To accommodate continued access to these resources, estimates of catch have been developed based on population census data and recreational fishing survey results.

The motivation for each of the sectors is very different – an important recognition when looking at the data with the view to allocating access to each sector. Recreational fishers fish for quality experience. This means different things to different fishers (some its for quantity, some its for the experience) but is important in terms of social environment. Most recreational fishers would fish from a home base (either permanent or holiday home); only a small number would travel the coast to fish.

Commercial fishers are trying to maximise catch and value of that catch. They are impacted not only be the variability of the resource, but by exchange rates, competition within markets, and changing factor input costs, particularly fuel prices. Commercial fishers are more mobile and can travel to where rock lobster are more available – near or far from home port, inshore or offshore.

Customary fishers are fulfilling dietary, cultural and spiritual traditions.

Management of the allocations to these sectors needs to account for these differences in motivations for fishing. Further, the diverse motivations within the recreational sector are likely to cause intrasectoral allocation issues, which will also require management action.

Impacting particularly recreational and commercial fishers is the increasing area of water being assigned to marine conservation areas over recent years. Commonwealth and State marine planning processes often result in exclusions for fishing; which has even more significance when placed in inshore waters where there are competing interests.

The consideration of allocation to these often competing interests is not an easy process. This report is the first stage in this process for the western rock lobster fishery.

Total catch - Indigenous catch is estimated at 1.7% of the recreational catch and therefore is included in recreational total. Total catch is the sum of the commercial and recreational catch.