Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) scientists are predicting the annual whites run migration of three-and-a-half to four-year-old rock lobsters will occur at the usual time from about 28 November.
The migration is expected to start around Two Rocks and work its way north and south when the lobsters moult from a red shell into a light pink to whitish shell, helping them blend in more with the seafloor sand as they walk out to offshore grounds.
The lobsters use the Earth’s magnetic field to head in the same direction for their migration.
DPIRD scientific assessments in 2021 and 2022 identified smaller than normal cohorts of baby lobsters, known as puerulus, meaning that this year’s whites run will have comparatively fewer lobsters.
The good news is the current puerulus settlement in 2025 is the best in over a decade.
WA led the world in the development of puerulus monitoring to predict the legal-size abundance of lobsters three to four years ahead, enabling proactive management of the fishery.
DPIRD scientists annually measure numbers of Western Rock Lobster puerulus from ocean-based collectors at strategic locations along the West Coast.
DPIRD’s principal research scientist Simon de Lestang said this was a popular time of year for lobster fishers and enjoyed by both recreational and commercial fishers alike.
Dr de Lestang said the migrating lobsters were about three times more catchable because they were hungry after their moult, expended high levels of energy in their walking and liked to hide in pots during the day when they were in sandy areas.
“The timing for commercial fishers is perfect, and they eagerly await the whites run, because the festive season is approaching and rock lobsters are always popular choice for seafood lovers,” he said.
“Sustainability has been fundamental to the management of lobster stocks and WA’s long commitment to research and management was recognised when the Wester Rock Lobster Fishery became the world’s first fishery to achieve independent third-party Marine Stewardship Council certification 25 years ago.”
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