Preface

xiv

The stimulus for the 2006 version of this book

was the publication of the Biology of Freshwater

Crayfi sh , edited by David M. Holdich, in 2002,

published by Blackwell Science Ltd. The Holdich

book was different to most other texts dealing with

similar material, in that although there are topics

such as growth, nutrition and reproduction and

behaviour, the full material for the commercial

species is presented under each separate genera,

rather than under fi sheries, countries or topics such

as management, aquaculture or conservation. In the

2006 edition and again in the current edition I have

followed the same approach, except for a few minor

instances where it was appropriate to make com-

parisons for clarity.

Not all genera of marine lobsters are covered in

this volume. In selecting the material I have chosen

those genera with the most commercially important

populations. All species have been dealt with

together under genera. Readers will no doubt fi nd

gaps in the topics examined. Space limitations pre-

cluded the inclusion of additional material.

The 2006 edition of the book was well received

and the publishers were delighted. At their request

I undertook to prepare a revised version, concen-

trating on the vast number of publications since

2005. I also took the opportunity to add additional

chapters on Lobsters in Ecosystems; Genetics of

Wild and Captive Populations; Translocating

Lobsters to Improve Yield and Value of the Fisher-

ies; Climate Change; Systems to Maximize Eco-

nomic Benefi ts in Lobster Fisheries; Ecolabelling

of Lobsters and Essential Habits and Microhabitats

for Tropical Spiny Lobsters, all of which are topics

of special interest. To fi t these new chapters

into the book, some biological material presented

in the 2006 edition was incorporated into the

chapters dealing with specifi c genera in this revised

edition. Chapter 1 Lobsters in Ecosystems was

presented as a Key Note talk at the 9th Interna-

tional Conference and Workshop on Lobster

Biology and Management in Bergen, Norway, in

June 2011.

Many people contributed to the development

and production of this book. They are not acknowl-

edged individually because of space availability,

but all authors wish to thank the many colleagues

who assisted them with their contributions.

Bruce F. Phillips

Phillips , B. F. (ed.) ( 2006 ) Lobsters: Biology, Manage-

ment, Aquaculture and Fisheries . Blackwell Publish-

ing , Oxford .

Chapter 1

Lobsters as Part of Marine Ecosystems –A Review

Bruce F. Phillips 1

, Richard A. Wahle 2
and Trevor J. Ward 3

Department of Environment & Agriculture Curtin University, Western Australia

University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences, Darling Marine Center, Walpole, Maine, 04564 USA

Visiting Professor, The Ecology Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia

Lobsters: Biology, Management, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Second Edition. Edited by Bruce F. Phillips.

© 2006, 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Published 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Lobsters are the focus of valuable fi sheries worldwide; they are often regional icons, and mainly

because of this are among the most researched animals on earth. As fi shery management moves

globally from a single - species to an ecosystem - based emphasis, it remains important to understand

the role of species functions in marine ecosystems. Despite the wealth of research on lobsters, our

understanding of their role in marine ecosystems is patchy. As mid - trophic - level consumers, lobsters

function in the transfer of energy and materials from primary producers and primary consumers to

apex predators. They are large - bodied and conspicuous, and can comprise a considerable proportion

of the collective consumer biomass. Still, the nature and strength of interactions, and the relative

importance of top - down and bottom - up effects to their productivity is murky. Australia, the USA,
the European Union, Canada and New Zealand are beginning to implement ecosystem - based fi shery

management. Here, we review two case studies from dramatically contrasting ecosystems: the spiny

(rock) lobster Panulirus cygnus in subtropical Western Australia, and the American lobster Homarus

americanus in cool temperate eastern North America. Our analysis identifi es knowledge gaps and

takes a fi rst step in evaluating the consequences of differing ecosystem - based management
approaches

to these and other lobster fi sheries.

Key Words: lobsters; Panulirus cygnus; Homarus americanus; ecosystem ; fi sheries management;

large marine ecosystems

1.1 Introduction

Ecosystem - based management (EBM) fi rst devel-

oped as a concept in terrestrial systems, using the

principles of outcome - based management (Grum-

bine, 1994 ). Lubchenco (1994) and Sherman &

Duda (1999) subsequently laid the foundation for

the emergence of the marine EBM movement.

Table 1.1 (after Lubchenco 1994 ) is used as the

basis of this chapter. We focus here on ‘ Individual