Jasus paulensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jasus paulensis |
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Jasus
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paulensis
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The Jasus paulensis, also known as the St Paul rock lobster, is a type of spiny lobster. It lives in the ocean around Saint Paul Island in the southern Indian Ocean and near Tristan da Cunha in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
For a while, people thought the lobsters near Tristan da Cunha were a different species called the Tristan rock lobster (Jasus tristani). But scientists used special tests on their mitochondrial DNA (a part of their cells) and found they were actually the same species. Even so, some groups, like the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, still list them as separate. The Tristan rock lobster is an important symbol and can be seen on the coat of arms and the flag of Tristan da Cunha.
What Does It Look Like?
Male St Paul rock lobsters can grow to about 34 cm (13.4 in) long, with their main body shell (called a carapace) reaching about 13 cm (5.1 in). Females are a bit smaller, growing up to 24 cm (9.4 in) long.
Like other rock lobsters, this species does not have large claws on its front walking legs. Its carapace is covered with big, flat spines that are about as wide as they are long. There are also smaller spines mixed in. The first few parts of its tail have fine lines across the front, with smoother areas behind them.
Where Does It Live?
This spiny lobster was first found around St Paul and New Amsterdam Islands in the southern Indian Ocean. However, it has since been discovered on other underwater mountains called seamounts along the Southwest Indian Ridge. This means its home range is much larger than scientists first thought.
The Jasus tristani species, which lived around Tristan da Cunha in the southern Atlantic Ocean, is now considered the same as J. paulensis. This lobster is not very common. It usually lives in waters between 10 and 35 meters (33 and 115 ft) deep, but sometimes it can be found as deep as 60 meters (200 ft). You can find it living on rocks and among kelp (large seaweeds).
Life and Habits
The St Paul rock lobster is a nocturnal animal, meaning it is active mostly at night. It eats seaweeds and also scavenges, which means it feeds on dead animals it finds.
Female lobsters lay their eggs starting in May. They carry and protect the eggs under their tail for several months until they hatch.
Fishing for Lobsters
Long ago, visitors to St Paul Island found they could easily catch lobsters by hand in the shallow water of the crater lake bay. They could even cook them right there in nearby underwater hot springs!
In 1928, a big fishing business and a factory to can the lobsters were set up on St Paul Island. They used lobster pots to catch them. However, the company went out of business three years later. This left seven people stranded on the island, leading to a sad event known as "Les Oubliés de Saint-Paul" (the forgotten ones of Saint-Paul), where they faced many difficulties. Over the next twenty years, there were several attempts to catch lobsters using large factory ships, but most were not very successful.
From 1950 to 1956, a French company called Sapmer harvested these spiny lobsters. They processed about 260 tonnes (about 573,000 pounds) of lobster tails each year, which is like 800 tonnes (about 1.76 million pounds) of whole lobsters! This company still uses factory ships with big freezers in the area today.
Before 1950, people only fished for rock lobsters around the Tristan da Cunha islands for their own food. After that, companies like the South Atlantic Islands Development Corporation started fishing them for sale. The most lobsters were caught in the 1970s, with over 800 tonnes (about 1.76 million pounds) caught in some years. But since then, the amount caught has gone down. Since 1992, less than 400 tonnes (about 882,000 pounds) have been caught most years.
In 2011, the fishery became MSC-certified. This means it meets high standards for sustainable fishing, showing that the lobsters are caught in a way that protects the ocean and the lobster population. The total amount allowed to be caught each year is still around 400 tonnes. Since 1996, Ovenstone Agencies has been harvesting the lobsters in partnership with the Island Government. This partnership is planned to continue until at least 2026.
