Demographics and Yield-Per-Recruit Assessment of the Vulnerable Spiny Lobster in the Azores-Implications for Conservation and Fisheries Management.

The spiny lobster has been intensively harvested across its range and is generally considered overfished, with global landings declining sharply from an average of 820 t in 1960-79 to 385 t in 2000-19. Despite its economic and ecological importance, limited information is available to perform stock assessments and make robust management decisions. In this study, demographics and exploitation levels of were determined from coastal areas of the Azores, and the relevance of these data for conservation planning was discussed.