Age structure of Panulirus ornatus in two habitats in Torres Strait, Australia

Abstract

The lobster population in Torres Strait, Australia, is made up of juvenile and sub-adult lobsters up to two years old (1+ and 2+), with some 3-year-old (3+) male lobsters. These lobsters live either on shallow reefs or in the deeper areas between reefs. Intensive surveys of lobsters in these two habitats showed that 1+ lobsters live only in the deep habitat, 2+ lobsters live in the deep habitat and on shallow reefs, and 3+ male lobsters live mainly on shallow reefs. In the deep habitat, lobsters were found mainly in areas that had rock and rubble substratum. There may be little movement of lobsters onto or off the shallow reefs during the winter months and 1+ lobsters probably recruit onto the shallow reefs so