GROWTH OF ORNATE ROCK LOBSTERS, PANULIRUS-ORNATUS, IN TORRES STRAIT, AUSTRALIA

Growth (size-at-age) of Panulirus ornatus in Torres Strait was calcula ted from size-frequency data collected during annual population survey s and from the catch of lobster fishermen. Growth varied on both spati al (similar to 100 km) and temporal (yearly) scales, the former probab ly because of differences in water temperature and/or food availabilit y, and the latter probably because of density-dependent effects. Altho ugh an existing growth curve formulated from tag-recapture data was si milar to growth of lobsters in the fast growth zones, it may overestim ate the growth of lobsters from the area where most of the tag-recaptu re data were collected.