A comprehensive and detailed stock assessment is available for Rock Lobster. The current fishing rate is assumed to be acceptable. The stock is in health condition.
This fishing gear is not likely to cause significant damage to endangered, threatened, protected (ETP) species. The discard rate of this fishery is low, and all the discarded species are discarded alive. Western Australian Rock Lobster is a key species in the ecosystem, while the current stock status is healthy. The impact of the fishery on the ecosystem is negligible. Lobsters inhabit reef habitat, thus some impact on the habitat by traps is likely but generally low compared to potential effects of other fishing methods.
The management of the Rock Lobster fishery has improved in recent years and Australia is addressing nearly all relevant topics which included protect of ETP species, habitat protection, high level of transparency, therefore evaluated as largely effective.