Tasmanians are setting cray pots for rock lobster and diving for abalone—but how often do they do it, and are they satisfied with the catch and the health of the fishery? The latest survey reveals most fishers are seeing stability or improvement in these fisheries.
Researchers from the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) recently released the Tasmanian Recreational Rock Lobster and Abalone Fisheries 2023/24 Fishing Season survey, which has been undertaken since 1996.
The survey aimed to understand rock lobster and abalone fisheries in terms of participation, fishing effort and catch during the fishing season from November 2023 through to April 2024.
Almost 80% of respondents who fished for rock lobster in the 2023-24 season noted that the overall quality of the fishery was similar or improved from the previous year, with 78% being at least quite satisfied with their catch rates.
For over two decades, there have been concerns about declining rock lobster stocks in Tasmania, particularly as East Coast stocks were assessed to have reached historically low levels in 2011/12.
In response to these challenges, new size limits were introduced for the 2022/23 rock lobster season.
To read the rest of the article, click here: IMAS scientists capture rock lobster and abalone recreational fishing trends | University of Tasmania
