Rock Lobsters

Known as spiny lobsters in most parts of the world, rock lobsters are higher priced than most crustaceans. They shouldn’t be confused with the ‘true’ lobsters of the northern hemisphere, the main differences being that ‘true’ lobsters have huge claws or nippers, containing a significant proportion of meat, and much smaller antennae. There are four rock lobster species in Australia. Eastern rock lobsters, the world’s largest rock lobsters (recorded up to 8 kg), are found around Australia’s south-eastern coast; they have a green-black shell and smooth tail. Southern rock lobsters are found around the southern coast, including around Tasmania; they look similar to eastern, with their short antennae, but their shell is rough-textured and orange-red. Western rock lobsters, native to Australia and found along Western Australia’s mid- to south coast, are the most valuable commercial marine species in Australia and most are exported live or frozen to Japan, Taiwan or China; they have a reddish-purple shell and very long antennae. Tropical rock lobsters are mainly caught in the Torres Strait, by spear or hand; they are often intricately patterned (especially the legs), with very long antennae.