Southern Rock Lobster

Scientific Name: Jasus edwardsii

Description: The Southern Rock Lobster is a large, long-lived crustacean on the Great Southern Reef. It is mainly active at night although they can occasionally be seen during the day.

While Rock Lobsters are an important species for our commercial fisheries in Victoria it is also important to remember that they are also wildlife and play important ecological roles as predators and scavengers on reefs and help to maintain the health of reef communities.

The Southern Rock Lobster has a complex life cycle which begins with the release of fertilised eggs that hatch into a flat leaf like larval stage (known as a phyllasoma) that forms part of the offshore plankton community for up to two years. These eventually settle back on subtidal reefs as juveniles (puerulus) that look miniature versions of adults where they find homes on rocky reefs and can live there for many decades.

Protected areas of the sea, like the Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary and Victoria’s Marine National Parks, provide safe places for these animals to grow up and breed and their offspring help to replenish reefs where they are fished.

It is illegal to take Rock Lobsters from Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary.

Type: Crustaceans (Decapods)
Where to find: Subtidal Reefs
Size: 60cm

Additional Information: Reef Life Survey Species Info | Victorian Rock Lobster Fisheries