Publication Date

11-2025

Series Number

355

Publisher

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA

City

Perth

ISBN

ISBN: 978-1-925415-26-1 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-925415-27-8 (Online)

ISSN

1035-4549 (Print) 2202-5758 (Online)

Abstract

The Western Rock Lobster (WRL) (Panulirus cygnus) is the most commonly caught Rock Lobster (RL) species in Australia. Catches from the commercial and recreational sectors are required to determine and monitor Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC), Total Allowable Recreational Catch (TARC) and the proportion of Allowable Harvest Level (AHL) achieved. The TARC is evaluated annually based on a 5-year average.

Data for the recreational sector are obtained using phone-recall surveys to provide annual estimates of participation, fishing effort and retained catch (by numbers) from recreational fishers who hold a RL licence. Average weight, obtained from boat ramp surveys, are used to convert estimates of retained catch by licensed fishers from numbers to recreational harvest (by weight). Tour Operator Returns (Charter Logbooks) provide a census of annual participation, effort and retained catch (by numbers) from charter fishing (where fishers are not required to hold a licence). Random length samples of WRL from tour operators are used to convert the retained catch from numbers to weight.

This report provides estimates of RL recreational fishing participation, effort and catch for 2024/25 (1 May 2024 – 30 April 2025). Participation in the RL recreational fishery (all species) by RL licence holders (aged five years and older) in 2024/25 was 63% of licence holders or was 32,376 licensed fishers (95% CI 31,176 – 33,577). The proportion of licensed fishers actively fishing in 2024/25 was steady (i.e., the 95% CI overlapped between survey years) compared with 2018/19 – 2023/24.

Statewide fishing effort for RL recreational fishing (all species) by licensed fishers in 2024/25 was 486,679 days fished (95% CI 447,555 – 525,803), of which 79% or 383,258 days (346,006 – 420,509) was by potting and 21% or 103,421 days (86,313 – 120,529) by diving. This was steady compared with 2018/19 – 2023/24. Most fishing effort in 2023/24 occurred in the Metro-West Coast region (69%).

The recreational harvest of WRL by licensed fishers in 2024/25, based on an average weight of 624.2 g was 455 t (95% CI 407 – 502) in 2024/25, of which 77% or 349 t (311 – 385) was by potting and 23% or 106 t (74 – 138) by diving. This was steady compared with 2018/19 – 2023/24.

Recreational harvest of WRL from tour operators in 2024/25 was 22 t (based on an average weight of 521.5 g) and has increased annually from 9 t in 2018/19 to 20 t in 2023/24. The majority of the recreational harvest in 2024/25 from tour operators was by potting (97%).

The 5-year average recreational harvest (for licensed and tour operators combined) was 490 t in 2024/25, which represents 4.6% of the AHL.

Number of Pages

31

Keywords

phone-recall survey, boat ramp survey, tour operators, Panulirus cygnus, Southern Rock Lobster, Jasus edwardsii

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries

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