As a result of overfishing, the Spiny Lobster suffered drastic declines in the 1960s. But extraordinarily, the Spiny Lobster has returned to south-west waters in an impressive way. Keith Hiscock explores the life history, biology and the past decline of the Spiny Lobster to discuss how we can maintain these populations to prevent the repetition of past mistakes.
The European Spiny Lobster Palinurus elephas (referred to here also as just Spiny Lobster) is an iconic inhabitant of our submarine landscape. This large, attractively marked crustacean has in recent years staged a remarkable recovery in south-west Britain after having been exterminated in some areas by overfishing in the 1960s and 1970s.