Lobsters do well in sea-cages: Spiny lobster on-growing in New Zealand

Abstract The spiny red rock lobster （Jasus edwardsii ） is the third-biggest seafood export earner in New Zealand with exports from the wild fishery valued at just under （$NZ ） 100 million in 2004. Consequently, there is significant interest in capturing wild Jasus edwardsii pueruli and on-growing them through to a marketable size. Following several attempts to on-grow pueruli in land-based facilities the focus on lobster aquaculture research in New Zealand has switched from land to sea-based on-growing utilis-ing specifically designed sea-cages. Following experimental scale sea-cage on-growing, and in conjunction with commercial partners, NIWA have successfully run commercial scale sea-cage on-growing trials, rearing Jasus edwardsii pueruli from wild caught pueruli through to a marketable size of 200-250 g in 2-3 years. These trials culminated in the presentation of sea-cage on-grown lobsters to politicians and restaurateurs in December 2003. Following this commercial success NIWA has continued research into sea-cage design and the development of an artificial lobster diet to improve the economic viability of lobster on-growing in sea-cages. This presentation describes sea-based lobster on-growing research in New Zealand an