The low puerulus risk assessment report (attached- see bottom of page 9) suggests a 10-35% probability that the poor settlement on inshore collectors over the last 3 years could be caused by short term environmental changes. There is a growing concern amongst industry that short term environmental changes may indeed be responsible for a shift in the pattern of settlement from shallow to the deeper water. At the recent Western Rocklobster Council Congress it was suggested that industry driven research be undertaken, in collaboration with Department of Fisheries researchers, aimed at collecting post puerulus stage rocklobster in deep water to validate or refute anecdotal reports from fishermen of this phenomenon occurring in recent years.

It is envisaged that the findings of this study will assist in addressing the uncertainty around the suite of possible explanations for the poor puerulus settlement in the WRLF over the past three years and will aid in developing management arrangements now and into the future.