Luxton Announces Rock Lobster Decisions For 1999/2000 (03 Mar 99)

The Minister for Food and Fibre, John Luxton today announced decisions on rock lobster management for the 1999/2000 fishing year which commences on 1 April 1999.

"Most rock lobster stocks are performing well and have increased in size over the last fishing year. That's a very pleasing result. In the Wellington/Hawkes Bay area (CRA 4) and in Canterbury/ Malborough region (CRA 5), assessments indicate that stock sizes greatly exceed the maximum sustainable yield. I have therefore decided to increase the total allowable commercial catch (TACC) for these two areas."

"For Wellington/Hawkes Bay I have decided on a total allowable catch (TAC) of 771 tonnes and increased the TACC from 496 tonnes to 576 tonnes. Even with the proposed increase, the stock assessment indicates that the stock size will remain above the maximum sustainable yield."

In Canterbury/Marlborough the catch per unit effort, which is used as a measure of abundance in rock lobster fisheries, has increased 34% over the last fishing year. As a result Mr Luxton has set a TAC of 467 tonnes and increased the TACC from 304 tonnes to 350 tonnes.

The Otago and Southern regions (CRA 7 and CRA 8) are managed under a decision rule agreed to by users in the area. According to this rule, if catch per unit effort falls below the levels needed to rebuild these stocks within a reasonable period, a 20% quota reduction should be considered. Present catch per unit figures show that the stocks are below the levels required by the decision rule. Accordingly CRA 7 TACC will be reduced from 138.9 tonnes to 111 tonnes. In CRA 8 the TACC is reduced from 888.1 tonnes to 711 tonnes.

ENDS