Digital transformation of the WRL industry to help resolve challenges and leverage opportunities to grow GVP and maintain competitiveness

The Western Rock Lobster (WRL) fishery is the most valuable single species, wild catch fishery in Australia, found off the southern coast of Western Australia. WRL fishers face a complex operating environment, which they say results in uncertainty and reduced ability to plan. Multiple layers of compliance and reporting, often managed by different entities such as the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Department of Transport (DoT), and Australia Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), can result in requirements that are difficult to interpret and inconsistently applied, putting pressure on fishers. This project will research how to improve co-management, increase visibility of market and trade signals, improve sustainability through efficient precision fishing, and boost engagement through increased use of data and digital technology to ensure the industry remains abreast of developments and responds accordingly.