New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Invited review
Lobsters: the search for knowledge continues (and why we need to know!)

Bruce F. Phillips

Department of Environmental Biology
Muresk Institute
Curtin University of Technology
G.P.O. Box U1987
Perth
WA 6845, Australia
email: b.phillips@curtin.edu.au

Abstract  Lobsters are the focus of very valuable fisheries, and mainly because of this are among the most researched animals on earth. There is a continuing and expanding need for their further study because of changing areas of public interest in their biology and management. They are used as animals for teaching students in a wide range of disciplines, and are species of considerable community interest. The range of scientific studies of lobsters includes: larval ecology, juveniles, behaviour, genetics, stocks, fishing gear and effects of fishing, recreational fishing, disease, post-harvest practices, economics, triple bottom line reporting, aquaculture and enhancement, eco-labelling and certification, ecosystem management, and marine protected areas. Examination of important research questions identified at workshops held at previous lobster conferences indicates that some of these questions are being addressed, but in many instances new priorities for research have occurred because of developing technology in the fishery, increasing recreational fishing, disease, changing catch levels; as well as political developments such as marine protected areas, and changing and continuous demand for new or expanded data sets to address new issues such as eco-labelling. Dissemination of information about lobsters to a wide audience has resulted in a range of methods to achieve better communication including scientific papers, popular magazine articles, fishing magazine articles, and scientific and popular books and films.

Keywords  lobsters; knowledge; dissemination of information

M04020; Online publication date 31 May 2005 Received 8 February 2004; accepted 27 July 2004
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2005, Vol. 39: 231-241
0028-8330/05/3902-0231 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005

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