Rock Lobsters – ooh ahh – thriving in Victoria’s Marine Parks after two decades of protection

Eco News
May 21, 2025
6 Min Read

Long-term marine protection is proving to be a game-changer for lobster populations along Victoria’s coastline, with a new Deakin University study revealing dramatic increases in both the number and size of lobsters inside marine protected areas (MPAs).

Published in Biological Conservation, the study found lobsters – also known as crayfish – in no-take MPAs were nearly twice as abundant and significantly larger than those in fished areas – even when accounting for different environmental and habitat conditions.

‘This study shows that no-take marine protected areas are delivering long-term benefits for southern rock lobster populations, with significantly more and larger individuals found inside MPAs,’ said Dr Mary Young, Lecturer in Marine and Coastal Science at Deakin’s Marine Innovation and Research Centre, and lead author of the study.

Over a decade of fishery-independent surveys using more than 1,000 baited pots across six MPAs and matched fished sites revealed:

Nearly double the number of lobsters inside MPAs (1,349) compared to outside (706).
79% of lobsters inside MPAs were legal-sized, versus only 39% in fished zones.
Lobster biomass per pot was 2.5 times higher inside protected areas.
Males, in particular, showed strong gains in size and biomass under protection.

Dr Young said the study used advanced species distribution modelling to isolate the effect of protection from other environmental influences.

‘By separating environmental and habitat influences from protection effects, we were able to show that impacts of protected areas, rather than natural variability, are driving population recovery,’ Dr Young said.

These findings add to a growing global body of research showing that well-managed marine protected areas lead to healthier, more resilient ocean ecosystems. In the case of southern rock lobster, a species with limited movement, the benefits of protection are particularly pronounced and long-lasting.

‘Lobsters in protected zones were nearly twice as abundant and far more likely to be legal-sized, which suggests that MPAs are not only helping restore populations but also supporting ecosystem function and reproductive potential,’ Dr Young said.

The research was conducted in partnership with Parks Victoria, whose Manager of Marine and Coastal Sciences and Programs, Dr Michael Sams, said the findings demonstrate the long-term value of Victoria’s network of no-take marine parks.

‘Our research shows that marine protected areas are making a real difference to an ecologically important species – lobsters are not only more abundant inside our MPAs, but they’re also larger,’ Dr Sams said.

‘It’s a clear sign that MPAs are helping to protect and restore marine ecosystems and could also benefit populations outside parks.’

‘This study shows that marine protected areas are powerful tools for ocean management,’ Dr Young said. ‘By allowing species like southern rock lobster to recover, MPAs boost ecological resilience and can enhance fisheries; larger, more abundant lobsters produce more larvae, which likely settle beyond the 5.3% of protected state waters, and support fished populations.’

Deakin Rock Lobster video

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