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PAPUA NEW GUINEATROPICAL ROCK LOBSTER

The PNG tropical rock lobster fishery is mainly concentrated in the South Fly District of Western Province and extends further into the Torres Strait Protected Zone (TSPZ). The fishery in Western Province is the only one that has its own Management Plan, the plan is only specific for this fishery. Elements of Management also extends to the Gulf of Papua and Yule Island. This is mainly because of the migratory nature of the stock that spawn in Yule Island, drift along the Great Barrier Reef and to the East coast of Australia. From there the stock further migrated to the far north into Torres Strait and into Western Province. From the South fly District of ,Western Province the same stock migrates along the Gulf of Papua back to Yule Island for spawning. 

 

The Tropical Rock Lobster (TRL) Fishery is mainly based on the same species, (Panulirus ornatus, variously known as the ornate spiny lobster and the tropical ornate lobster), and are predominantly dive-based, hand-collection fisheries. Divers use surface supplied air (hookah) or free-dive, and predominantly work from small dinghies. Some lobsters are also collected at night on shallow reef flats by fishers using a light and handheld spear or scoop net. Operators can use motherships (primary vessels; large catch-storage vessels) in conjunction with smaller fishing vessels (dinghies) or operate fishing vessels individually. 

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Within the PNG fishery larger licensed vessels are a maximum of 20m in length. Each licensed vessel acts as a mothership for the fishing activity which includes divers accessing reefs from dinghies and hand harvesting lobster using hookah dive gear or by free diving. Historically, catches of TRL in PNG waters were also taken by trawlers but this method of fishing for TRL has been prohibited since 1984.

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Area of the Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery Management and the Torres Strait Protected Zone

The main site of operation for the licensed companies is on Daru Island, Western Province. Licensed operators are obligated to send catch data on the 21st of each month. Catch data consists of shore based Monthly Purchase records and Vessel based logbook data. This fishery operates on a competitive Total Allowable Catch (TAC) that is set by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) (delegate of the PZJA) every year. Other seasonal control includes the ban on the use of hooker gear from the 01 st of December to the 31st of March. 

 

The TSPZ is an area of the Torres Strait recognised by Australia and PNG as needing special attention. This special part of the area between Australia and PNG was set up from the development and implementation of the Torres Strait Treaty between PNG and Australia. The treaty was first signed in 1978 and ratified in 1985.The main reason for the Protected Zone is so that traditional inhabitants can carry on their traditional way of life and utilise catch shares within this area. PNG also has catch shares reserved in Australian jurisdiction of the TSPZ for Tropical Rock Lobster, Spanish mackerel, Prawn and Pearl shells. Currently the only catch sharing arrangement in place is for the Tropical Rock Lobster. 

 

NFA manages PNG's interest in the TSPZ fisheries through close consultation and collaboration with AFMA and involvement with the relevant Torres Strait Protected Zone Authority (PZJA) meetings. The meetings are made of the different TSPZ Working groups and Resource Advisory Groups. Through these forums we also plan and formalise collaborative research work in the TSPZ and also the PNG side of the Treaty areas. 

 

Distribution 

The tropical rock lobster is distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and South Africa in the west to Japan in the east, with populations in the Solomon Islands, PNG, S.W., W., N., N.E. and E. Australia, New Caledonia, and Fiji. The species is found in shallow coastal waters generally less than S0m and uses a variety of substrates including sand, mud, rocks, and coral reefs, making it unique among spiny lobster species that are generally found in less diverse habitats. 

 

Tropical Rock Lobster populations in northern Queensland (managed by Queensland), the Coral Sea (managed by the Commonwealth} and the Torres Strait (managed by the PZJA} are thought to comprise a single North-Eastern Australia biological stock, because of mixing of larvae in the Coral Sea. Water movement models in Torres Strait predict that larvae are likely to be transported into the Gulf of Carpentaria, indicating that the north-eastern stock encompasses this region as well. The existence of a separate north Queensland and Torres Strait stock has been supported by recent genetic work using single nucleotide polymorphisms study conducted in 2022. 

 

Size Limits 

Minimum size limits apply in the TRL Fishery to allow tropical rock lobsters to reach maturity and complete their breeding cycle before they are caught. The length of the carapace of the tropical rock lobster must be 90 millimetres or greater when measured as illustrated in the figure below. The length of the tail of the tropical rock lobster must be 115 millimetres or greater when measured as illustrated in the figure below.

When measuring, the tail must be laid flat with firm downward pressure placed on the middle segment of the tail. NFA also has crayfish measures available to assist fishers as a guide in meeting minimum size limit requirements. 

 

Catch Sharing Arrangement 

Australia and PNG established the TSPZ under the Torres Strait Treaty (the Treaty} with the principal purpose to acknowledge and protect the traditional way of life and livelihood of the traditional inhabitants of both Parties including their traditional fishing and free movement. A further purpose is to protect and preserve the marine environment and indigenous fauna and flora in and in the vicinity of the TSPZ. A range of subsidiary obligations and rights exist under the Treaty. Relevantly Australia and PNG commit under the Treaty to cooperate in the conservation management and optimum utilisation of Protected Zone commercial fisheries in so far that the achievement of the purposes for the establishment of the TSPZ are not prejudiced. 

 

The Treaty recognises the rights of both countries to Protected Zone commercial fisheries. This recognition is implemented through cooperative management and catch sharing provisions of Parts of the Treaty. Since the Treaty was ratified, Australia and PNG have entered into formal arrangements under Article 22 to cooperatively manage six fisheries, referred to as 'Article 22 fisheries', including for tropical rock lobster. 

 

With regards to the commercial catch of TRL, each year Australia and PNG: 

1) Agree on the global TAC and how it is to be apportioned between Australian and PNG waters.

a. It is agreed that 85% of the global TAC is to be taken in Australian waters and 15% of the global TAC is to be taken in PNG waters. This is based on the agreed distribution of TRL in the area of the TSPZ.

 

2)Agree on cross-endorsement apportionments and preferential entitlement.

b. Under Article 23(4) of the Treaty, each country is entitled to fish for 25% of the other country's TAC apportionment in the waters of the other country, unless otherwise agreed. This is commonly referred to as cross-endorsement. 

c. Under Article 25 of the Treaty, where Australia and/or PNG does not itself propose to take all the TAC to which it is entitled, either in its own area of waters or that of the other country, the other country will have preferential _ entitlement to that share. This must be agreed between Australia and PNG.

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