 |
|
 |
|
ROCK LOBSTERS Think of an expensive seafood
meal and rock lobsters ( also known as crayfish or koura)
will probably come to mind. Rock lobsters fetch high prices.
Because of this, most areas around New Zealand are heavily
fished by commercial and recreational fishers and -
unfortunately poachers. Most of the commercial catch is from
baited pots. There are only a few commercial divers, all
operating on the Chatham Islands. |
|
|
|
Rock Lobster exports currently
earn New Zealand about $100 million a year. The number of
rock lobsters taken has declined over the last 15 years, but
as they've become scarcer, the price has risen. |
|
New Zealand has two common
forms of rock lobster: the red or spiny rock lobster and the
green or packhorse lobster . |
 |
 |
Red Rock Lobster are widespread around New Zealand, especially in rocky coastal areas where there are plenty of places to shelter. They are most often found in groups, hiding in crevices and around reefs. They occasionally go onto open ground. |
|
Packhorse rock lobsters are found in some areas from Mahia Peninsula north. They are most common on relatively open ground near Cape Reinga, which is the only known breeding ground. |
|
|
Rock lobsters feed mainly at night, and eat a wide variety of foods. They like eating shellfish crabs, small fish and sea urchins. They are not so keen on seaweed, sea sponges and rubbery sea squirts, though they sometimes eat them. They gobble up any scraps lying on the sea floor. Their stomachs have special food-grinding equipment to deal with hard bits of food. |
|
Growth and Age |