Crisis in WA rock lobster fishery highlights need for marine sanctuaries

The Wilderness Society WA Inc
Media Release
26 September 2008

The Western Rock Lobster fishery crisis highlights the urgent need for a science-based network of marine sanctuaries in WA, WA’s leading marine advocacy organisations said today.

The Wilderness Society WA’s Marine Coordinator Dr Jill StJohn said that the monitoring which indicates very few baby lobsters are entering the fishery provides a chilling example of how WA’s coastal lifestyle may change forever.

‘This complete absence of larval-stage lobsters on important monitoring sites suggests two alternatives: either there are no new lobsters for the 2010-11 season, or the 40-year-long relationship between the sea currents and newborn Western Rock Lobster, which was a reliable predictor of future catches, has broken down.

‘Neither alternative is good for the rock lobster fishery.

‘The fishery removes a huge proportion of Western Rock Lobsters every season, which makes the population more vulnerable to collapse than natural (unfished) or lightly fished populations because it leaves little room for error.

‘Research by the CSIRO has shown that Western Rock Lobsters inside marine sanctuaries can help ensure population and fishery stability providing an ‘insurance policy’ for ecosystem and fishery health.

‘The population of Western Rock Lobster in a small fishing closure on Kingston Reef at Rottnest Island, has densities of legal-size lobsters 50 times higher than nearby fished areas. Not only was size and total weight of lobsters larger, egg production was significantly greater, making the protected Kingston Reef lobster population critical in replenishing local populations.

‘The future of our marine wildlife depends on scientifically based management of our unique marine environment.  Scientists have clearly shown that only healthy marine ecosystems can sustain ongoing human exploitation AND withstand climate change.

‘Scientific consensus states that establishment of a representative network of no-take marine sanctuaries along West Australia’s coast is the single best preventative measure we have to protect all our marine wildlife, especially those populations that are made more vulnerable by fishing’ said Dr StJohn.

Currently less than 3% of WA state waters are protected in no-take marine sanctuaries and there are very few additional areas where rock lobsters are protected.

Over the past 5 years, Dr. Nic Dunlop, Biodiversity Officer with the Conservation Council of WA, has recorded changes in the distribution of oceanic seabirds in WA that reflect impacts of climate change on our Indian Ocean.

‘We don’t have the time to wait for the research to understand all of the impacts of climate change before we act to protect our marine diversity and fisheries,’ said Dr Dunlop.’