Outcome of trial
The recreational rock lobster catch app trial was run
during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 rock lobster seasons to test the feasibility of recreational fishers reporting their rock lobster catch using an app.
Over 1000 fishers downloaded and used the trial app across the two seasons, with:
- 1, 476 trips logged,
- 4,466 rock lobster caught, and
- 2, 297 rock lobster kept.
Many fishers provided feedback on the trial app. The feedback has helped inform the design of the catch reporting component in the new Fishing Tas app, such as the addition of a feature that allows you to report rock lobster catch on behalf of other fishers.
Why a catch app?
A catch app was developed over other options because it is cost-effective and
provides real-time data with little effort required by fishers. The app trial formed part of a 2021 IMAS recreational catch monitoring research project. This project also considered catch tags, however tags need a distribution system, and tag loss and plastic pollution can present problems.
Options to effectively monitor and regulate recreational catch in the Tasmanian rock lobster fishery
Information Paper - Recreational Rock Lobster catch tags