TARFish responds to draft rock lobster rules and east coast policy options

TARFish acknowledges the pressing need for the Rock Lobster Fishery Management Plan (the Fisheries (Rock Lobster) Rules 2011) to be remade owing to the expiration on 31 October 2022.

It is important to consider their remake in the context of several other processes underway or due to commence. Specifically, the review of the Living Marine Resources Act 1995 (the LMRA of the Act), the development of a resource sharing framework, and a harvest plan for the rock lobster fishery.

These are crucial to the development of new rules that will have effect for a decade.

TARFish is particularly concerned that the development of the harvest strategy and the outcome of the review of the LMRA (i.e. new or amended legislation) is a necessary consideration and therefore rule changes that are likely to have a significant impact on the nature, structure and returns to community from the rock lobster fishery should be minimised in this process. Major changes could be facilitated by later rule amendments.

On balance, the overall rule changes proposed for recreational fishers are well supported by TARFish and the following sets out the specific issues or concerns related to each matter.