Some observations on the Kenya lobster fishery.
The spiny lobsters (Palinuridae) are among the most important fishery products landed by Kenya fishermen. The chief commercial lobsters all belong to genus Panulirus. Species available are P. ornatus, P. versicolor, P. dasypus, P. homarus, P. longipes and P. penicillatus. The last of these is uncommon. Lobsters from other genera including Puerulus (represented by Puerulus angulatus Bate in deep water) are landed by trawlermen but these are much less important to the fishery. Fishing is done by skin divers who hand-catch the lobsters thus landing most of them alive. Like other crustacea, the spiny lobster is relatively easily overfished. The purpose of this account is to discuss the issue of possible overfishing for spiny lobsters and to suggest a lower size limit regulation which would exempt immature lobsters from being caught. The present study found overfishing to occur. This was particularly serious in the northern areas of the Coast, around Pate and Kiwayu Islands where lobsters of carapace length shorter than 50mm were found in the catch studied. The all-important species Panulirus ornatus (comprising over 80% of the catch) was found to mature sexually at a mean carapace length of 98.9 mm. None of the mature females of this species were found under 80 mm carapace length. A lower size limit of 90 mm is suggested. A P. ornatus female of the size would be expected to yield 323.4 g of recoverable meat. A P. ornatus male would be expected to yield 295.4 g of meat. Exemption from being landed is also suggested for berried females as well as all lobsters in moult.
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| Format: | Journal Contribution biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1978
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| Subjects: | Length-weight relationships, Crustacean fisheries, Overfishing, Lobster fisheries, Catch statistics, Size-limit regulations, Panulirus, Puerulus angulatus, Marine environment, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/6731 |
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