MOVEMENTS OF ROCK LOBSTERS (JASUS-EDWARDSII) TAGGED IN FJORDLAND, NEW-ZEALAND

A total of 3417 rock lobsters (Jasus edwardsii) were tagged and releas ed during five separate tagging periods between February 1979 and Sept ember 1982, along the Fiordland coast between Thompson and Caswell Sou nd, New Zealand. Up to 31 May 1987, 1580 individual rock lobsters (46% of those tagged) had been returned, with 1470 having information on t he location of recapture. 145 (10%) of the latter had moved at least 5 km from the tagging site. The longest minimum straight-line sea dista nce moved by any one animal was 161 km. The largest proportions of roc k lobsters that moved and those that moved the longest distances were immature females and small males. The movements of these two sex/matur ity stages showed a definite directionality, with most recaptures movi ng north. Smaller proportions of mature females moved, and they showed no directionality. The multiple recaptures of some mature females dur ing and immediately after the egg-bearing season suggested that homing of some animals may have occurred.