Western Rock Lobster Research

Simon de Lestang

Jason How

Matt Pember

WRL Technical Team

&

Industry

WRL Research

• Whales

• Puerulus settlement Juveniles

• Deep water settlement– Mesh Pots– Deep water collector

• Tagging project

• Aging project

• Elemental

• Sea Lion Depredation

?

?

Entanglements per season

• Mainly commercial

Entanglements

Entanglements per season

• Reduction in entanglements

• Gear modifications introduced

• Could also be a change in overlap between fishing and whale migration

Whale Movements

Fishing Practices0-9

10-19

20-29

30-39

40+

May Jun

Jul Oct

• Possible change in whale migration– Offshore – anecdotal– Early – entanglements | whale watching

• Minimal change in fishing effort– May & June same as last year– July-Oct reduction (impact of gear mods?)

• Appear gear mods partially responsible for reduction in entanglements

Evaluate 2014 Modifications

• Same gear mods for 2015– Whale ‘zone’ (<20 m depth)– 15 increase to 18 fathoms

2015 Gear Modifications

Spatial Data• Improved information on where and when

whales are located

• Inform management (more tailored)

Spatial Data

• Develop spatial model for humpbacks off WA coast

• Only one data input• App and satellite

tracking data

Satellite Tracking

Whale Surveyors

• Trip back to port• Start & End• July and September

Settlement & Juveniles• Low settlement period

• Change in timing

Settlement

Puerulus to Juveniles• Kackers

– Dongara (7 Mile) – & Lancelin

• Meshed Pots

Meshed Pots

Meshed Pots

Meshed Pots26

37

32

29

21

16

2015.162

• Developed in Tasmania

• Modified for WRL

• Trialed along-side traditional gear

• Next - run off commercial vessel

Deep Water Collector

FRDC Tagging Project

• Validate the stock assessment model and inform quota setting decisions

• New baselines for lobster biomass and exploitation rates.

• Migration, growth and mortality estimates

• Implications of increased high grading

86mm CL non-setose female white 394km in 2.6 months (5.1km/day)

126mm CL ovigerous female1km in 18 years (112mm in 1996)

Recaptures

Tag Releases

11000 lobsters already tagged (20000+ total)

Released in pulses (2/6)

6 main areas (inc BB)

Success of the entire project hinges on reporting

of tag recaptures.

200+ reported by industry

Estimates of reporting rates are required

Releases

46 Fishers (107 WRL)

5 Fishers (7 WRL)

Reporting Rate

Recaptures

REPORTINGCongratulations to winners!

Thank you to all making returns

Success of the entire project hinges on reporting of tag recaptures.

We don’t care how we get them.•Use the App!•Write in CDR! •Use Tag Cards!•Use the Web!•SMS Details!•Email or ring us!

• Tag number

• Date

• Location

Release Survival

Release Damage

Big Bank

Aging• Currently from tagging /

length frequency• Southern Cross University

– Crustacean scientists around Australia

• Direct age of lobster– How old– Age at maturity– Growth rates through fishery

• Currently– Stained lobsters– Sectioning for aging

27 mm ♀

124 mm ♂

Elemental my dear Watson

• Given known locations

• Blind test (random)

• Successful location id

• Expand the project [funding ?]

• Combine with aging– Locations through life cycle

• Answer questions– Origin of Big Bank lobsters as juvenile– Degree of cross zone movement

Elemental my dear Watson

Sea Lion Depredation

Sea Lion Depredation

Conclusions

• Variety of programs• Whales; Sea Lions; Tagging; Elemental; Deep-water

settlement; Aging

• Industry is often an official partner in the research [Whales & Tagging]

• Need industry assistance in getting data

• All for the betterment of the industry