Lobster Zone Closes as Catch Caught Early

The rock lobster season closed at the end of last month, with 99 per cent of the 1,250 tonne total allowable catch caught, reports ABC.

Sean Sloane from PIRSA says catch rates have improved in recent times.

"The catch rates, that is the commercial catch rates, the number of rock lobster in each pot list has increased in both fisheries over the past two years which is a good indication that overall rock lobster abundance is increasing across both zones," he said.

"Roughly about 80 per cent of the total catch in both zones was caught in the first three months of the season and then what we saw was a fairly slow end to the season but that's actually pretty normal as far as the overall catching process for both rock lobster fisheries goes."