Lobster industry takes climate change action
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Australia's southern rock lobster industry says it has already made changes to deal with the possible effects of climate change.
A report has listed south-east South Australia's commercial cray fishing stocks as some of the most vulnerable to climate change.
Southern Rock Lobster Limited chairman Roger Cotton says more research is still needed to find out how climate change will affect the industry.
Mr Cotton says the industry is taking the issue seriously.
"We're investing several million about lobster stock sustainability and our view is that we will get the best science on the issue as it unfolds," he said.
"So that said, the whole issue in marine is bigger than us and I'm pleased to see that [federal Climate Change Minister] Penny Wong is on to it. As far as Southern Rock Lobster is concerned, we're ready to work with her and the State Government."
But Mr Cotton says its hard to introduce change in the industry when it does not know what the future holds.
"Change is unknown of course. Water temperature and higher acidity may change the ecosystem, how this impacts on southern rock lobster we don't know," he said.
"It might mean they grow faster, which would be good. There also is a risk of maybe less food, with less of them surviving. I mean we just don't know, it's all guess work, it's early days yet."
