The puerulus settlement in 2007/08 was the second lowest in 40 years and follows a number of years of below-average puerulus settlements. The settlement for the August and September 2008 indicate that the 2008/09 settlement may be even lower. Previous studies have shown that environment factors such as the Leeuwin Current and storms in late winter/spring affect the abundance and spatial distribution of puerulus settlement. However with the series of low recruitments currently being experienced, it is important to identify if (a) there are other environmental factors, which may be contributing to the low recruitment, (b) if the breeding stock in certain parts of the fishery are particularly critical, and (c) if there are any long-term trends apparent in these environmental factors. Advances in quality of satellite data in the 1990s measuring sea surface topography (altimeter satellites) and chlorophyll/productivity (ocean colour satellite) have enabled significant improvements in our understanding of the environmental factors, with the assistance of oceanographic modelling. Previous oceanographic models were focussed on the open ocean circulation off the continental shelf. Recent advances in modelling enable the development of high-resolution models at 10 km spatial scale which resolve the dominant processes on the shelf. Future climate projection using the same modelling framework have been proposed in WAMSI research. Understanding the causes of recruitment variability and their long-term trends has important implications in the stock assessment and management of the fishery. The management response would be significantly different if the cause of the series of low recruitment was due to egg production (overall or particular parts of the fishery) or environmental factors. Similarly an adjustment to the sustainable harvest rate may be required if there are long-term environmental trends that affect the average recruitment of the western rock lobster.
Project number:
2009-018
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$408,405.00
Principal Investigator:
Nick Caputi
Organisation:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
Project start/end date:
30 Jun 2009
-
29 Jun 2012
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
1. To use a larval advection model and the rock lobster population dynamics model to assess the effect of the spatial distribution of the breeding stock on the puerulus settlement
2. To assess environmental factors (water temperature, current, wind, productivity, eddies) and breeding stock affecting puerulus settlement
3. To examine climate change trends of key environmental parameters and their effect on the western rock lobster fishery
ISBN:
978-1-921845-77-2
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2022-060
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT
Understanding the Economics and Markets of the Western Rock Lobster industry
1. Enable the Global Trade Report the MEY Model and the Markets Dashboard to work together with the Harvest Strategy to underpin TACC setting and ensure the continued sustainability of the stock.
ORGANISATION:
Western Rock Lobster Council Inc (WRLC)
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2019-159
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT
Developing an independent shallow-water survey for the Western Rock Lobster Fishery: tracking pre-recruitment abundance and habitat change
1. Produce accurate measures of pre-recruit abundance throughout the West Coast Rock Lobster Managed Fishery. Compare with commercial monitoring undersize lobster abundance and puerulus settlement data.
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Hillarys
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2019-101
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT
Investigation of the direct and indirect role of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) on Western Rock Lobster settlement processes: with consideration of the potential role of contaminants
1. Identify areas of significant submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) nearby established western rock lobster settlement monitoring sites.
ORGANISATION:
University of Western Australia (UWA)