Sea Lion Exclusion Devices (SLEDs)
The lobster fishery exists in an area that is also inhabited by Australian sea lions, a native marine mammal. The Australian sea lions breed in specific locations along the coast and in order to avoid interactions between young sea lions and lobster pots, fishers who operate in these areas are required to fit Sea Lion Exclusion Devices (SLEDs) to their pots when operating in these areas. The SLED limits the ability of young sea lions to swim into pots looking for an easy meal of lobster by blocking the entrance to the pot. A metal bar is placed in the neck of the pot leaving a gap that allows lobsters through but prevents sea lions from getting their heads through. For more information on SLEDs please contact the Department of Fisheries.
Bait and Bait Packaging Code of Practice
Professional Western Rock Lobster fishermen operate under the Code of Practice for Using & Handling Bait, Bait Packaging & Rubbish. This Code is part of the ongoing Imported Bait Project, a strategy funded by the industry through a levy system to address issues associated with disease risks to the environment from imported fish products. The bait handling Code also outlines how fishers should dispose of waste and packaging to maintain a clean, responsible fishery. A copy of the Code can be requested from WAFIC or from the Western Rock Lobster Council.
Code of Practice for Reducing Whale Entanglements
Western Australia is home to several species of whale, in particular Humpback Whales and Southern Right Whales, with natural migration patterns of these animals overlapping with the Western Rock Lobster Fishery. To avoid migrating whales becoming entangled in Rock Lobster gear, the industry has been working with Government and stakeholders to develop the Code of Practice for Reducing Whale Entanglements. Through implementing small changes to fishing practices such as shortening ropes and removing slack from lines, fishers are able to limit the potential for whales to become entangled in lobster gear. The industry is also working with the Department of Environment & Conservation to implement world's best practice for whale disentanglements. For more information on the Code of Practice please contact the Western Rock Lobster Council.
Pot Design and By-catch
The Western Rock Lobster Fishery is a trap fishery, with pots (traps) being set and retrieved daily. The pots are designed with escape gaps at the bottom to allow small animals to escape, while legal sized lobsters are retained. The pots also have an open neck design which allows fish and other creatures to swim out, reducing chances of unwanted species being caught in the pots. The open design of the pots and the method of fishing means that the level of by catch in the fishery is so low as to be considered negligible. The use of Sea Lion Exclusion Devices also helps to prevent unwanted animals entering the traps and getting caught.
Marine Reserves and Protected Areas
The Western Rock Lobster fishery operates in areas with State Marine Reserves and with voluntarily closed areas. The Federal Government is also developing a marine reserve system which will include some areas of the fishery, and professional and recreational Western Rock Lobster fishermen are bound by the voluntary and legislated closures of particular areas of the fishery. For more information on these areas and the permitted activities in these areas, please contact the Department of Fisheries or the Department of Environment & Conservation. |
