California Spiny Lobster

Panulirus interruptus

Sometimes known as Red Lobster, Red Rock Lobster or Rock Lobster.

This species is wild-caught.

Summary

The California Spiny Lobster fishery is a small, but locally important and largely sustainable fishery in southern California. Abundance of Spiny Lobsters off California varies with broad-scale changes in environmental conditions caused by El Nino and La Nina. State managers closely regulate commercial fishing for Spiny Lobster, but do not monitor recreational catches. Bycatch is low–ports on the wire-mesh Spiny Lobster traps generally allow undersize lobsters and other animals to escape.

Criterion	Points
Life History	1.50
Abundance	2.00
Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts	2.25
Management	2.25
Bycatch	4.00
Final Score (average of criteria)	2.40
Color

Final Score	Color
2.60 - 4.00
2.20 - 2.59
1.80 - 2.19
1.40 - 1.79
0.00 - 1.39

Last updated June 2, 2006.

Life History

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

If a value for intrinsic rate of increase (‘r’) is known, assign the score below based on this value. If no r-value is available, assign the score below for the correct age at 50% maturity for females if specified, or for the correct value of growth rate ('k'). If no estimates of r, age at 50% maturity, or k are available, assign the score below based on maximum age.

1.00	Intrinsic rate of increase <0.05; OR age at 50% maturity >10 years; OR growth rate <0.15; OR maximum age >30 years.
2.00	Intrinsic rate of increase = 0.05-0.15; OR age at 50% maturity = 5-10 years; OR a growth rate = 0.16–0.30; OR maximum age = 11-30 years. Intrinsic rate of increase is unknown. Male Spiny Lobsters typically reach sexual maturity between 3 and 6 years, while females reach maturity between 5 and 6 years. In California waters, male Spiny Lobsters reach a maximum age of 30 years, while females typically survive to 20 years (CDFG 2001a).
3.00	Intrinsic rate of increase >0.16; OR age at 50% maturity = 1-5 years; OR growth rate >0.30; OR maximum age <11 years.

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)

-0.25	Species has special behaviors that make it especially vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., spawning aggregations; site fidelity; segregation by sex; migratory bottlenecks; unusual attraction to gear; etc.).
-0.25	Species has a strategy for sexual development that makes it especially vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., age at 50% maturity >20 years; sequential hermaphrodites; extremely low fecundity).
-0.25	Species has a small or restricted range (e.g., endemism; numerous evolutionarily significant units; restricted to one coastline; e.g., American lobster; striped bass; endemic reef fishes). Panulirus interruptus, known as California Spiny Lobster and Red Rock Lobster, inhabits the rocky coastal waters of the Southwest Pacific from Monterey Bay, California to Magdalena Bay on the western coast of Baja California, Mexico. A small population also exists in the Gulf of California (USFWS 1988). For this ranking, we consider only Spiny Lobster caught in California waters, which we will refer to as California Spiny Lobster.
-0.25	Species exhibits high natural population variability driven by broad–scale environmental change (e.g., El Nino; decadal oscillations). The abundance of California Spiny Lobster fluctuates with broad-scale environmental changes caused by El Nino and La Nina events. Commercial catch data for California Spiny Lobster show inter-annual variations that correlate with changes in water temperature and oceanographic and weather patterns associated with these events (CDFG 2001a, b).

+0.25	Species does not have special behaviors that increase ease or population consequences of capture OR has special behaviors that make it less vulnerable to fishing pressure (e.g., species is widely dispersed during spawning).
+0.25	Species has a strategy for sexual development that makes it especially resilient to fishing pressure (e.g., age at 50% maturity <1 year; extremely high fecundity).
+0.25	Species is distributed over a very wide range (e.g., throughout an entire hemisphere or ocean basin; e.g., swordfish; tuna; Patagonian toothfish).
+0.25	Species does not exhibit high natural population variability driven by broad-scale environmental change (e.g., El Nino; decadal oscillations).

1.50	Points for Life History

Abundance

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Compared to natural or un-fished level, the species population is:

1.00

Low: Abundance or biomass is <75% of BMSY or similar proxy (e.g., spawning potential ratio).

2.00

Medium: Abundance or biomass is 75–125% of BMSY or similar proxy; OR population is approaching or recovering from an overfished condition; OR adequate information on abundance or biomass is not available.

Abundance of California Spiny Lobster is unknown (CDFG 2001a). Fishery managers monitor the population using commercial catch data, instead of fisheries-independent, scientific surveys. Commercial catches of California Spiny Lobster peaked in the mid-1900s and declined to an all-time low in 1975, following years of unregulated fishing (USFWS 1988; CDFG 2001). The population has since recovered, likely due to regulations mandating the use of escape ports on Spiny Lobster traps that allow juveniles to escape (CDFG 2001b; Barsky, pers. comm., 2006).

Today, the abundance of California Spiny Lobster fluctuates annually in concert with cyclic changes in environmental conditions (CDFG 2001b), and managers believe the population is healthy (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006).

3.00

High: Abundance or biomass is >125% of BMSY or similar proxy.

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)

-0.25	The population is declining over a generational time scale (as indicated by biomass estimates or standardized CPUE).
-0.25	Age, size or sex distribution is skewed relative to the natural condition (e.g., truncated size/age structure or anomalous sex distribution). Following sexual maturity, male California Spiny Lobsters grow faster, live longer, and obtain larger sizes than the females. Males can live up to 30 years, while females live to about 20 years (CDFG 2001b). There is no evidence, however, that fishing pressure has caused this difference in life spans. Therefore, we choose to not subtract for this factor.
-0.25	Species is listed as “overfished” OR species is listed as “depleted”, “endangered”, or “threatened” by recognized national or international bodies. The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service does not list California Spiny Lobster as overfished.
-0.25	Current levels of abundance are likely to jeopardize the availability of food for other species or cause substantial change in the structure of the associated food web.

+0.25	The population is increasing over a generational time scale (as indicated by biomass estimates or standardized CPUE). Since 1976, commercial catches of California Spiny Lobster have increased. However, catch data provides only a rough indication of abundance. It remains unclear if the population is increasing over time or if fishing effort has increased since 1976, since biomass and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) data are not available. Therefore we chose not to add for this factor.
+0.25	Age, size or sex distribution is functionally normal.
+0.25	Species is close to virgin biomass.
+0.25	Current levels of abundance provide adequate food for other predators or are not known to affect the structure of the associated food web.

2.00	Points for Abundance

Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Select the option that most accurately describes the effect of the fishing method upon the habitat that it affects.

1.00	The fishing method causes great damage to physical and biogenic habitats (e.g., cyanide; blasting; bottom trawling; dredging).
2.00	The fishing method does moderate damage to physical and biogenic habitats (e.g., bottom gillnets; traps and pots; bottom longlines). Commercial fishers use rectangular traps constructed of heavy wire mesh to catch California Spiny Lobsters. They set these traps along depth contours or around rocky outcrops on the seafloor (CDFG 2001b), using bricks, cement, or steel to weigh the traps down. Although Spiny Lobster traps are not known to significantly damage the California seafloor (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006), large numbers of traps may have a considerable cumulative impact on benthic habitats (Morgan and Chuenpagdee 2003).
3.00	The fishing method does little damage to physical or biogenic habitats (e.g., hand picking; hand raking; hook and line; pelagic long lines; mid-water trawl or gillnet; purse seines).

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)

-0.25	Habitat for this species is so compromised from non-fishery impacts that the ability of the habitat to support this species is substantially reduced (e.g., dams; pollution; coastal development).
-0.25	Critical habitat areas (e.g., spawning areas) for this species are not protected by management using time/area closures, marine reserves, etc.
-0.25	No efforts are being made to minimize damage from existing gear types OR new or modified gear is increasing habitat damage (e.g., fitting trawls with roller rigs or rockhopping gear; more robust gear for deep-sea fisheries).
-0.25	If gear impacts are substantial, resilience of affected habitats is very slow (e.g., deep water corals; rocky bottoms).

+0.25	Habitat for this species remains robust and viable and is capable of supporting this species.
+0.25	Critical habitat areas (e.g., spawning areas) for this species are protected by management using time/area closures, marine reserves, etc. California Spiny Lobsters spawn from March through August and reach peak spawning activity during May through July. The reproductive process of Spiny Lobsters is two-fold. Mating occurs in the winter months prior to spawning in deeper (50 to 100 feet) waters. Males deposit sperm-containing packets onto the females’ sternums. Females then move inshore to shallower (30 feet or less) waters where they release and fertilize 50,000-800,000 eggs each with the sperm packets. Females retain these eggs on the underside of their tails for 9 to 10 weeks, during which time they are frequently referred to as being "berried" (USFWS 1988). The commercial fishing season is closed from mid-March to early October to protect reproductive Spiny Lobsters and berried females (CDFG 2001; CSC 2006). This closed season also protects Spiny Lobsters when they are molting, after the females shed their eggs (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006). The California Department of Fish and Game prohibits commercial fishing for California Spiny Lobsters in 9 of the 10 Northern Channel Islands marine reserves (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006). Currently, the California Spiny Lobster industry is collaborating with CDFG scientists on several research projects to understand the impact of marine reserves on Spiny Lobster reproduction and survival (Abramson et al. 2005; Barsky, pers. comm., 2006).
+0.25	Gear innovations are being implemented over a majority of the fishing area to minimize damage from gear types OR no innovations necessary because gear effects are minimal.
+0.25	If gear impacts are substantial, resilience of affected habitats is fast (e.g., mud or sandy bottoms) OR gear effects are minimal.

2.25	Points for Habitat Quality and Fishing Gear Impacts

Management

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Select the option that most accurately describes the current management of the fisheries of this species.

1.00

Regulations are ineffective (e.g., illegal fishing or overfishing is occurring) OR the fishery is unregulated (i.e., no control rules are in effect).

2.00

Management measures are in place over a major portion over the species’ range but implementation has not met conservation goals OR management measures are in place but have not been in place long enough to determine if they are likely to achieve conservation and sustainability goals.

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) manages the California Spiny Lobster commercial fishery (CDFG 2001a, b). CDFG limits the number of fishers allowed in the commercial fishery and sets gear restrictions and minimum size limits for both the commercial and recreational fisheries (CDFG 2001b). Since California Spiny Lobsters reach the minimum, legal-size limit (carapace length greater than 3.25 inches) at 7 to 10 years of age, this regulation ensures that they have the chance to reproduce one or more times before being caught (USFWS 1988; CSC 2006). CDFG also requires that commercial fishers maintain logbooks that document their catches, fishing effort, depth at which traps are set, and the number of undersize California Spiny Lobsters they release (CDFG 2001b).

Managers regulate the recreational fishery with daily bag limits, gear restrictions and season closures. However, they do not monitor recreational catches, so the impact of the recreational fishery on the California Spiny Lobster population is unknown (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006).

In 2004, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a global seafood certification non-profit organization, certified the Baja California Red Rock Lobster (also Panulirus interruptus) as sustainable and well managed (SCS 2004). Fishers in California are currently seeking funding to support the MSC review process for their Spiny Lobster fishery (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006).

3.00

Substantial management measures are in place over a large portion of the species range and have demonstrated success in achieving conservation and sustainability goals.

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)

-0.25	There is inadequate scientific monitoring of stock status, catch or fishing effort. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) does not conduct fishery-independent surveys of California Spiny Lobsters. Instead, it determines the health of the population by monitoring commercial catch data. There is a large recreational fishery for California Spiny Lobster, however, that the CDFG does not monitor (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006). Since monitoring of California Spiny Lobster is limited to commercial catch records we chose to subtract here.
-0.25	Management does not explicitly address fishery effects on habitat, food webs, and ecosystems.
-0.25	This species is overfished and no recovery plan or an ineffective recovery plan is in place.
-0.25	Management has failed to reduce excess capacity in this fishery or implements subsidies that result in excess capacity in this fishery.

+0.25	There is adequate scientific monitoring, analysis and interpretation of stock status, catch and fishing effort.
+0.25	Management explicitly and effectively addresses fishery effects on habitat, food webs, and ecosystems.
+0.25	This species is overfished and there is a recovery plan (including benchmarks, timetables and methods to evaluate success) in place that is showing signs of success OR recovery plan is not needed. A recovery plan is not needed because California Spiny Lobsters are not overfished.
+0.25	Management has taken action to control excess capacity or reduce subsidies that result in excess capacity OR no measures are necessary because fishery is not overcapitalized. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) initiated a formal restricted access program for the Spiny Lobster commercial fishery in 1997. The CDFG now requires all fishers to possess an operator or deckhand permit. Currently, the CDFG restricts the fishery to 246 permit holders, with the goal of reducing the number to 225 participants (CDFG 2001a, b).

2.25	Points for Management

Bycatch

Core Points (only one selection allowed)

Select the option that most accurately describes the current level of bycatch and the consequences that result from fishing this species.

The term, "bycatch” used in this document excludes incidental catch of a species for which an adequate management framework exists.

The terms, “endangered, threatened, or protected,” used in this document refer to species status that is determined by national legislation such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (or another nation's equivalent), the IUCN Red List, or a credible scientific body such as the American Fisheries Society.

1.00

Bycatch in this fishery is high (>100% of targeted landings), OR regularly includes a “threatened, endangered or protected species.”

2.00

Bycatch in this fishery is moderate (10-99% of targeted landings) AND does not regularly include “threatened, endangered or protected species” OR level of bycatch is unknown.

3.00

Bycatch in this fishery is low (<10% of targeted landings) and does not regularly include "threatened, endangered or protected species."

Bycatch in the California Spiny Lobster trap fishery is minimal. The California Spiny Lobster commercial fishery incidentally catches Kellet's Whelks and Rock and Spider Crabs, which fishers generally retain to sell. Traps occasionally catch octopus and California Sheepshead, which fishers generally released alive (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006). Although California Sea Lions occasionally interact with Spiny Lobster traps in an attempt to acquire the bait, they do not generally become entangled or captured (Barsky, pers. comm., 2006).

Since 1976, regulations have required that all lobster traps have at least one escape port no less than 2 3/8 x 11 1/2 inches to allow small, immature lobsters to escape. Since most California Spiny Lobster reach sexual maturity at around 2.6 inches carapace length (CL), this escape port size, combined with a minimum size limit of 3.25 inches CL, prevents fishers from catching and keeping immature individuals (USFWS 1988; CDFG 2001b).

The California Department of Fish and Game requires that trap doors of all Spiny Lobster traps be fastened with bare metal crimps that rust through seawater over time. This reduces the impact of "ghost fishing", whereby lost or abandoned fishing gear continues to catch animals over time (CDFG 2001b; CSC 2006).

Points of Adjustment (multiple selections allowed)

-0.25	Bycatch in this fishery is a contributing factor to the decline of “threatened, endangered, or protected species" and no effective measures are being taken to reduce it.
-0.25	Bycatch of targeted or non-targeted species (e.g., undersize individuals) in this fishery is high and no measures are being taken to reduce it.
-0.25	Bycatch of this species (e.g., undersize individuals) in other fisheries is high OR bycatch of this species in other fisheries inhibits its recovery, and no measures are being taken to reduce it.
-0.25	The continued removal of the bycatch species contributes to its decline.

+0.25	Measures taken over a major portion of the species range have been shown to reduce bycatch of “threatened, endangered, or protected species” or bycatch rates are no longer deemed to affect the abundance of the “protected” bycatch species OR no measures needed because fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear). The California Spiny Lobster fishery is highly selective and does not adversely affect threatened, endangered, or protected species.
+0.25	There is bycatch of targeted (e.g., undersize individuals) or non-targeted species in this fishery and measures (e.g., gear modifications) have been implemented that have been shown to reduce bycatch over a large portion of the species range OR no measures are needed because fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear). The California Spiny Lobster fishery is highly selective, with minimal bycatch of undersize individuals and non-targeted species (USFWS 1988; CDFG 2001b). Mandatory ports on Spiny Lobster traps allow the majority of undersize individuals that enter the traps to escape capture. In addition, the minimum size limit regulation prevents commercial and recreational fishers from keeping immature lobsters they incidentally catch (USFWS 1988; CDFG 2001b).
+0.25	Bycatch of this species in other fisheries is low OR bycatch of this species in other fisheries inhibits its recovery, but effective measures are being taken to reduce it over a large portion of the range. Bycatch of California Spiny Lobsters in other fisheries is insignificant.
+0.25	The continued removal of the bycatch species in the targeted fishery has had or will likely have little or no impact on populations of the bycatch species OR there are no significant bycatch concerns because the fishery is highly selective (e.g., harpoon; spear). The California Spiny Lobster fishery is highly selective.

4.00	Points for Bycatch

References

Abramson, S., C. Cairns, K. DeLeuw, S. Hamrin, and D. Hardy. 2005. Collaborative Monitoring of Spiny Lobster in the Channel Islands Marine Protected Areas. Available at: www.bren.ucsb.edu/research/documents/lobster_brief.pdf

Barsky, K. 2006. Personal Communication. California Department of Fish and Game.

California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 2001a. California's Living Marine Resources: A Status Report. California Spiny Lobster. Available at: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/status/report2003/spinylobster.pdf

CDFG. 2001b. Spiny Lobster (Panulirus interruptus). Available at: www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mlpa/response/lobster.pdf

California Seafood Council (CSC). 2006. California Spiny Lobster. Available at: http://ca-seafood.ucdavis.edu/facts/species.htm#anchor1211912

Morgan, L.E. and R. Chuenpagdee. 2003. Shifting Gears: Addressing the Collateral Impacts of Fishing Methods in U.S. Waters. Pew Science Series.

Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). 2004. An MSC Assessment of the Red Rock Lobster Fishery Baja California, Mexico. Prepared for Baja California Regional Federation of the Fishing Cooperative Societies and World Wildlife Fund.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1988. Species Profile: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Pacific Southwest). Spiny Lobster. Available at: http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/0193.pdf#search='spiny%20lobster%20pacific%20southwest'