Increase in lobster licences issued

More people are expected to enjoy rock lobster this season after an increase in licences and changes to the law.

It is too early to provide figures on the number of licences issued for the new season, but last season more than 52,000 were purchased, according to the Department of Fisheries.

Department West Coast rock lobster management officer Nick Blay said recreational fishing for rock lobster provided an important social benefit to the WA community.

“The purchase and usage rates of recreational lobster fishing licences had increased with years of anticipated good recruitment into the fishery,” Mr Blay said.

“An example of this is the 52,046 recreational rock lobster fishing licences purchased for the 2015-16 season, which was approximately an 11 per cent increase on the previous 2014-15 season.”

A spokesman for Recfishwest said since 2012 there had been a 46 per cent increase in licence purchases.

“An increase in licences could be due to a change in rules last season which was the ability for two licensed fishers to share a pot,” he said.

“Recent juvenile lobster counts point towards a bumper season this year and if last season is anything to go by, we should see more people on the water.”

According to the department, the figure for the estimated recreational rock lobster catch for last season is still being finalised.

The total allowable recreational catch set last season was 422 tonnes and the catch tally for recreational fishers in that season is likely to be close to that.

A total allowable recreational catch has not been finalised for this year but is expected to happen soon.

As of 2016, lobster fishers now have the option of removing lobster tails after they get their catch home.

Previously, the law required lobsters to be kept and stored whole unless they were being prepared for immediate consumption.

There is also no longer a maximum legal size limit for taking female rock lobsters.

Fisheries and marine officers are out in force using both compliance checks and education to ensure that fishers do the right thing.