The Draft Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy (the Harvest Strategy) is open for public consultation and we’re seeking your feedback.
All submissions must be received by
11:59pm Monday 11 August.
What is the Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy?
The Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy (the Harvest Strategy):
- sets targets for long-term objectives and the sustainability of the rock lobster fishery.
- aims to guide decision making and provide transparency about how the rock lobster fishery should be managed to achieve these targets.
It applies to all commercial and non-commercial (Aboriginal and recreational) fishing for rock lobster in State waters.
The Harvest Strategy does not affect current resource sharing arrangements. Resource sharing policy is being reviewed through a separate process.
Please view the Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of this page for more information about the Harvest Strategy, including:
- what it is,
- how it was developed,
- how it will affect rock lobster rules and management, and
- why changes to resource sharing are not included.
Why are we seeking your feedback?
We are seeking your feedback to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to provide their perspective and input on the Harvest Strategy.
For a summary of what we're specifically seeking feedback on, please view Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy: What are we seeking feedback on?.
How quickly would you like rock lobster stocks to rebuild?
As part of consultation, we are specifically seeking feedback on how quickly the rock lobster fishing community would like to achieve the Harvest Strategy stock rebuilding target.
- A 10 year timeframe would mean the fishery reaches the target faster, but it may require stricter management than a longer timeframe.
- A 20 year timeframe would require less strict management than a fast rebuild, but it would mean that it takes longer to achieve the target and relaxation of management.
Consultation documents
Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy: What are we seeking feedback on?
- A short summary of the Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy including prompting questions we are specifically seeking feedback on.
- You may choose whether or not you would like to use this document when writing your submission.
Rock Lobster Background and Management
- A supporting document to the Draft Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy.
- Provides information about rock lobster biology and historic and current management of the rock lobster fishery.
Have Your Say
How to make a submission
All submissions on the Draft Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy must be received by 11:59pm Monday 11 August.
Submissions can be forwarded to:
Email: harvest.strategies@nre.tas.gov.au
Postal Address: Wild Fisheries Management Branch, Level 3, 134 Macquarie Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000
Other than indicated below, submissions will be treated as public information and may be published on our website. No personal information other than an individual’s name or the organisation making a submission will be published.
Accessibility of submissions
The Government recognises that not all individuals or groups are equally placed to access and understand information. We are therefore committed to ensuring Government information is accessible and easily understood by people with diverse communication needs
Where possible, please consider typing your submission in plain English and providing it in a format such as Microsoft Word or equivalent. The Government cannot however take responsibility for the accessibility of documents provided by third parties.
Important information to note
-
Your name (or the name of the organisation) will be published unless you request otherwise.
- In the absence of a clear indication that a submission is intended to be treated as confidential (or parts of the submission), the Department will treat the submission as public.
- If you would like your submission treated as confidential, whether in whole or in part, please indicate this in writing at the time of making your submission clearly identifying the parts of your submission you want to remain confidential and the reasons why. In this case, your submission will not be published to the extent of that request.
- Copyright in submissions remains with the author(s), not with the Tasmanian Government.
- The Department will not publish, in whole or in part, submissions containing defamatory or offensive material. If your submission includes information that could enable the identification of other individuals then either all or parts of the submission will not be published.
The Right to Information Act 2009 and confidentiality
Information provided to the Government may be provided to an applicant under the provisions of the Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI). If you have indicated that you wish all or part of your submission to be treated as confidential, your statement detailing the reasons may be taken into account in determining whether or not to release the information in the event of an RTI application for assessed disclosure. You may also be contacted to provide any further comment.
Frequently asked questions
What is a harvest strategy?
Harvest strategies are frameworks for sustainable fisheries management. They establish clear guidelines for management actions that are to occur in response to changes in a fishery to achieve agreed ecological, social and economic objectives.
A harvest strategy brings together key scientific monitoring, assessment and management components applicable to all sectors of the fishery (commercial, recreational and Aboriginal cultural fishing) into a single framework to allow for a holistic management approach.
To find out more, watch the video below or visit our Harvest Strategies page.
What is included in the Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy?
The Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy identifies:
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Objectives for the fishery - What do we want the fishery to look like?
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Performance indicators - How will we tell if the fishery objectives are being achieved?
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New stock assessment and management areas – How can stock assessment and management areas be aligned?
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Target reference points for fishery biomass - When can we increase total allowable catch and relax management settings without impacting stock sustainability?
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Timeline - How many years do we want to take to reach the target reference point?
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Trigger and limit reference points for fishery biomass and egg production – When do we need to reduce total allowable catch and change management settings to make sure stocks are sustainable?
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Potential management actions that should occur if reference points are approached, reached or passed:
- How should total allowable catch (TAC) be set?
- What other potential management tools should be considered?
- When should a fishery closure be considered?
The Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy also notes:
-
When the harvest strategy will be reviewed
- How the stock assessment works
- The current stock status for Southern Rock Lobster
- How area-based resource sharing policy and catch allocations should be considered in the Harvest Strategy once developed.
How will the Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy affect future rock lobster management decisions and rules?
The Harvest Strategy does not change the Fisheries (Rock Lobster) Rules 2022 or override the decision-making power of the Minister or their delegate.
The Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy guides
when management and rule changes should be considered, as well as potential options for
what management actions should be considered.
It provides this guidance based on how well the performance indicators set out in the Harvest Strategy are meeting the fishery objectives.
To implement any management actions recommended within the Harvest Strategy, the appropriate statutory process (as outlined in the relevant legislation) must still occur.
Does the Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy address resource sharing/catch sharing between sectors?
The Harvest Strategy does not change or otherwise affect current resource sharing and catch allocation agreements, as it is outside the scope and intent of the document.
The Harvest Strategy does not prescribe specific management actions (e.g. bag limits). Rather, it identifies when management action is needed and how much total allowable catch needs to be changed.
The Government recognises that resource sharing is an important issue for all sectors of the rock lobster fishery and will be important when implementing the Harvest Strategy.
A review of the current resource sharing policy is underway.
How does the Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy affect management of the East Coast?
All areas of the rock lobster fishery will be managed using the Harvest Strategy moving forward, including the East Coast. The Harvest Strategy replaces the previous
East Coast Stock Rebuilding Strategy.
Under the new management areas proposed in the Harvest Strategy, the East Coast will be split into two new management areas:
- the East Coast area, running from Red Rocks to Cape Pillar,
- the South East area, running from Cape Pillar to Whale Head, including Storm Bay.
The boundary of these proposed areas at Cape Pillar is based on existing research that shows rock lobster growth rates and productivity are different above and below this line. This boundary is consistent with our existing
Northern and Southern Size Limit Zones.
The Harvest Strategy will guide management of both the East Coast and South East areas. It sets out limit and trigger reference points for each area, which are levels of biomass we will aim to maintain the stock above. If biomass falls below these levels, management action must be taken.
Each year when the stock assessment is run, it will tell us what the current and projected biomass is for the East Coast and South East areas. This will inform if we need to make management changes to stay above these reference points.
If the stock in an area is above the limit reference point, relaxing management settings may be considered. However, if the stock in an area is below the trigger or limit reference points, implementing a rebuilding plan or closing an area may be needed to ensure the future sustainability of the area.
Where possible, management settings will align with the new management areas proposed in the Harvest Strategy. This will simplify management of the rock lobster fishery, particularly on the East Coast.
How was the Draft Harvest Strategy developed?
The Draft Harvest Strategy has been developed based on:
A short summary of the Harvest Strategy is available below.
It includes prompting questions you may like to consider when reading the Harvest Strategy. You may choose whether or not you would like to use this document when writing your submission.
Consultation Document - Rock Lobster Harvest Strategy