The rock lobster fishery occurs in state waters from the coast out to a depth of 120 metres. The fishery covers most of the coastline, except along the north coast, and extends into Bass Strait around the King and Flinders island groups. The fishery has been operating within the coastal waters (inside three nautical miles) of Tasmania since around 1830.

Condition

The history of the rock lobster fishery and its management is well documented (Winstanley 1973; Harrison 1986; Anonymous - DPIF 1997; Ford 2000a; Ford and Nicol 2001; Ford 2000b; Ford 2000c; Frusher 1997). Management of the fishery effectively commenced in the late 1800s with a Royal Commission on fisheries in Tasmania in 1882, which lead to the introduction of the Crayfish Act 1885. This Act introduced the first size limits and prohibited the taking or sale of spawning female rock lobster. Over the following century the fishery was managed by an increasing number of controls on seasons, licences, vessels and pot numbers.

Catches in the fishery peaked in 1985, however a subsequent decline in catches coincided with a substantial increase in effort, raising concerns with industry, scientists and managers about the sustainability of the fishery. In addition, the fishery assessment process based on fishers monthly catch information and anecdotal information about the state of the fishery were pointing to a declining fishery. The combination of declining catches and increasing fishing effort prompted a serious review of future management options, leading to a Government review in 1992. After much analysis, debate, and lobbying, a decision was made to introduce individual transferable quota management (ITQ) and the new management regime commenced in March 1998.

Pressure

During the early 1990s, various management options were explored and debated within the industry and Government. By 1993, two management options were available; either a substantial reduction in the fishing effort (about 30%) or the introduction of a total allowable catch. Although industry recognised the need to significantly reduce the catch, it was divided on which was the appropriate response. In 1996, the Government supported by a majority of industry, decided that the fishery would be managed by output controls under ITQ. This management decision had two main objectives. To reduce the catch to a level which would be sustainable and allow the biomass to rebuild over time and, secondly, to provide a mechanism whereby the industry could restructure, allowing those who wished to leave the fishery to achieve a reasonable return for their previous access.

Response

The new management regime included both input and output controls. Output controls are the total allowable catch (TAC) of 1,502.5 tonnes which, in March 2001, was allocated equally among 10,507 ITQ units giving an allocation of 143 kg per quota unit. Allocation of quota initially included a component based on previous catch history which was designed to be phased out over the first three years of management under ITQs (Ford and Nicol 2001). The ITQ system only applies to the commercial fishery with recreational and cultural fisheries limited by bag and possession limits and fishing season.

Currently, quota management has been operating for three years. During this time, the industry has changed significantly and the fishery has started to rebuild. Assessment of the fishery for the 1999-00 stock assessment report indicates that the estimated legal size biomass increased by about 6% after the first year and that egg production and catch rates also increased (Gardner et. al. 2001). Analysis of licensing and catch and effort data shows that the number of fishing vessels and the fishing effort (vessel fishing days) have dropped by about 17% and 29%, respectively, over the first two years. The number of vessels dropped further during the third year, and as of September 2000 was 23% below that in the year before ITQs.

Quota management has achieved one of the main objectives, that is, reducing the catch. In the first year, 1,477 tonnes of rock lobster were landed and 1,480 tonnes was landed in the second. Therefore, between 98.3% and 98.7% of the TAC was taken in the first two years, the failure to take all TAC reflecting fishers unfamiliarity with leasing additional quota units. Comparison of the fishing effort in 1999-00 with that in 1994-95 (when the catches were at a similar level to the catch under ITQs) shows 28% less effort was needed to harvest the lobsters. The changes in fishing effort reflect the decrease in number of vessels, from 305 prior to ITQs to 253 in the second year of ITQs, and a decrease in the number of days each vessel spent at sea.