Rock lobster stocks off eastern Tasmania are in a depleted state and modelling indicates that catches must be reduced to facilitate recovery. A 10-year stock rebuilding strategy, underpinned by a catch cap for the commercial sector and a catch share for the recreational sector, was implemented in 2013. While the commercial catch can be monitored and controlled directly, management of recreational catches is more problematic. In an effort to restrict recreational catches there have been drastic reductions in bag and possession limits and a progressive reduction in the season length. High and varying levels of participation, however, make management of recreational catches difficult, a situation likely to be further exacerbated as stocks rebuild. For the commercial sector, the catch cap represents a competitive catch quota that, as catch rates improve, is likely to influence fleet dynamics as fishers race to take the catch limit.

 Understanding relationships between fisher behaviour, their expectations/aspirations, response to changes in stock status and management intervention is critical when implementing effective management. This study addresses the practical challenges of achieving the stock rebuilding objective by providing options to assist managers and fishers in achieving the ecological, social and economic goals for the fishery.