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Eastern Rocklobster
Latin name: Sagmariasus verreauxi
Common name: Lobster
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Wild Caught
Region:
NSW
- The eastern rock lobster stock is healthy, and is being managed carefully to support future resilience.
- Eastern rock lobsters are found throughout southeastern Australia and are commercially targeted in NSW.
- Eastern rock lobsters are caught in baited pots and by hand collection - methods that have low impacts on marine habitats.
- Bycatch of other species is low.
Rocklobster is highly regarded for its firm, sweet and succulent flesh. Boil or steam whole lobsters and allow to cool before picking all of the meat from the tail and legs. Kitchen scissors can make this a bit easier. Meat can be dressed and served in a salad or seafood cocktail, or tossed through pasta, risotto or egg-noodles. To impress, serve it in the shell by splitting lobsters lengthwise and cooking shell-side down on a BBQ, in a steamer or in a hot oven. Simply top with a little butter, salt and lemon and you’re ready to serve! Leftover shells can be sautéed and turned into a delicious shellfish stock, soup or a traditional seafood stew such as a bouillabaisse or bisque, ensuring that you get the most out of your Rocklobster.
- NSW New South Wales Rock Lobster Fishery (155t in 2017)
Eastern rock lobsters are caught in baited pots and by hand collection along the New South Wales coast. Pots are lowered to the seafloor and rest in place until lifted up for harvest. Disturbances to the seafloor are minimal.
The stock has been rebuilt from historic overfishing, and is currently in a healthy condition. After the most recent scientific assessment of the stock in 2019, managers and industry have kept catches low as a means of building resilience in the fishery.
There has been no bycatch of protected species reported by fishers in recent years, and while it is unclear if logbook reports are reliable, the fishing method poses a low risk to species like cetaceans (which can be entangled in pot ropes) and turtles. Some other fish and octopus species are caught as bycatch and marketed, but not at levels likely to risk those stocks.
Marine parks in NSW State waters provide a small but significant degree of protection for habitats and bycatch species.