Lobster bag limit increase

Lovers of Western Rock Lobsters can expect to pick at more than one crayfish from the Christmas table this year.

The recent Department of Fisheries announcement to increase bag limits on the favoured seafood has locals set to hit the water when the 2012-13 season opens on November 15.

The increase allows a licence holder to catch a daily limit of up to eight Western Rock Lobsters and a boat with three or more licence holders a daily maximum of 24.

Coastal Water and Dive owner Torry Goodall said from a safety perspective, increasing the Western Rock Lobster bag limit was the best thing the Department of Fisheries could have done.

‘‘It allows a diver to go out with a buddy and have a third person on the boat looking out for them,’’ he said.

Mr Goodall said recent shark attacks had scared people from the water, but the increased bag limit would encourage them to take up recreational diving again.

‘‘With recent shark attacks this will encourage people who aren’t sure to get back into the water,’’ he said.

He said the increase would not have a negativeimpact ontheWestern Rock Lobster population or the commercial crayfish industry.

Recreational fisherman Damian Hooper said he didn’t think the bag limit increase would have any impact on recreational fishers because refrigeration limits on Western Rock Lobster had not changed.

Mr Hooper said recent shark attacks had created such concern among the fishing community that many are avoiding the water.

‘‘Families with kids think it is the shark’s territory and it is best to just avoid the water,’’ he said.

‘‘I think people’s minds have been made up on that.’’

Recfishwest chief executive officer Andrew Rowland worked with the department on increasing the limits and commended their final decision.

‘‘While this revised set of rules will make it easier for recreational fishers to catch a feed of Western Rock Lobster, it will also ensure we come closer to catching our share of the resource,’’ he said.

In previous seasons recreational fishers had caught less than half of their allocated 5 per cent of the rock lobster resource.