2014/726 Measuring condition of lobsters to improve management of harvesting around periods of high transport mortality

By Cedric Simon et al.

This project provides the first comprehensive quantitative assessment of the health, physiological and nutritional condition of brindle and red lobsters from four different fishing areas of Tasmania at the start of the 2015 fishing season. Lobsters size (carapace length), baseline concentrations of haemolymph haemocyanin and bicarbonate were shown to be useful predictors of vulnerability to transport. This information may help improve the management of these lobsters especially if portable meters are used in the field or test kits are developed through future R&D. Recommendations to minimise mortality risk were also made which included ensuring lobsters have recovered from the ground transport stress in holding tanks for several days, minimising emersion duration and reducing temperature prior to packaging.