Crayfish (West Coast Rock Lobster)

The following reasons state why there are strict regulations in place to protect our crayfish.

Crayfish have a long life. They can reach an age of 40 years, but first they have to go a long way before they reach adult-hood. They mate when the female moults, i.e. sheds her shell in May/June. When she moults she is soft and pliable without any shell which is the time when she is most vulnerable to predators i.e. Fur Seals, Hagfish, Mussel crackers and Tuna Fish. The incubation period of the egg is 92 days.










The West Coast Rock Lobster Explained

The female is about 7 years old by the time she lays her first eggs. She then has a carapace length of 7 cm. She produces +/- 200 000 eggs of which only 1% reach maturity. She secretes a glue to which she attaches the eggs under the membrane on the tail. Larval development requires 260 days (8  9 months).

Once hatched the larvae, phyllosoma are widely dispersed by surface currents and drift helplessly near the ocean surface for 3 years or more. During this time they go through about 11 moult stages and feed mainly on jellyfish. Eventually they return to familiar environment and metamorphose into the little boy stage (puerulus). This transparent juvenile lobster closely resembles the adult and is an adept swimmer. It usually settles in shallow water kelp beds near the adult stocks.

The juveniles moult many times a year for about 5 years after settlement, after which they become adults. The male increases in size by from only 2-5 mm per year, whereas the female by a mean 1 mm is a slow growth rate  sometimes no growth takes place in a year. The males are usually larger then females, but the females are broader then the males.

Feeding

The main food of the rock lobster are mussels, sea urchins, starfish and kelp, although they will eat almost any source of protein and are therefore regarded as scavengers. They can go without food for long periods and only feed under calm conditions.

Buying Crayfish

Normally the Crayfish season starts middle November through to April. Recreational fisherman may buy a license from the Post Office and take out four crayfish per day which may not be sold.

Please note that it is illegal to buy crayfish from the street. You may only purchase crayfish from a licensed dealer or quota holder. Therefore crayfish are not available all year round and very difficult to obtain at a decent price as most licensed factories export their quota of crayfish and most other quota holders sell their crayfish to the factories.