Fisheries Minister Norman Moore has announced rule changes for recreational rock lobster fishers for the coming season.

The recreational rock lobster season runs from November 15 to June 30. The new rules for the 2009-10 season are:

* a consistent minimum legal size of 77mm for western rock lobsters all season
* a reduction in the maximum legal size limit for female western rock lobsters from 105mm to 95mm, when taken between Green Head and North-West Cape
* a reduction in the maximum legal size limit for female western rock lobsters from 115mm to 105mm, when taken between Green Head and Cape Leeuwin.

Mr Moore said the measures would also apply to commercial fishers, as part of a package of measures to contain that sector’s overall catch.

“Recreational fishers must play their part in contributing to the sustainable management of this fishery by adopting the new sustainability rules,” he said.

“I have also decided the escape gap size for recreational rock lobster pots will remain at 54mm for 2009-10, before increasing to 55mm for the 2010-11 season.”

The Minister said the new rules took into account the record low settlement of puerulus (juvenile lobsters) in recent seasons, which indicated that in the next two to three years the fishery would experience its lowest catches in 40 years.

“This season, for the first time, the sectors will be managed to allocated shares of the sustainable harvest level,” Mr Moore said.

“The commercial sector is allocated a 95 per cent share, the recreational sector’s share is five per cent and the customary sector’s share is one tonne.

“This season, the commercial catch’s managed target is 5,500 tonnes, with a likely range of 4,950 to 6,050 tonnes. The target catch for the recreational sector will be 290 tonnes, with a range of 260 to 318 tonnes.”

A recreational licence is required to fish for rock lobster. Fishers can buy licences online and a new brochure on rock lobster fishing for the 2009-10 season is available at the Department of Fisheries website at http://www.fish.wa.gov.au or on 9482 7333.