Benefits of Lobster Translocation to Fishery Productivity and Economics in Tasmania

Abstract

Large‐scale translocation of Southern Rock Lobsters, Jasus edwardsii , in Tasmania has been conducted for over two decades. This involves moving slow‐growing lobsters from deep‐water areas to inshore, warmer areas to increase growth rates and improve commercial characteristics, especially shell color. Economic benefits of translocation have been sufficient to commercially fund movement of more than 1.2 million lobsters from February 2012 to April 2023. We explored, with recent data and methods, how translocated animals grew at varying recipient sites. The growth increment in the year following translocation was compared between resident lobsters at source and receiving sites and translocated lobsters. Translocated lobsters exhibited strong compensatory growth that often exceeded that of fast‐growing resident lobsters at receiving sites. Translocation provided a net economic benefit that was robust across a range of market conditions. The Tasmanian Southern Rock Lobster program exemplifies the potential benefits of strategic translocation by offering a promising approach to manage and optimize growth of other species in the face of changing environmental conditions.

Bibliographic Information