Impact of sea urchins

Tasmanian Ocean Action spokeswoman Lucy Landon-Lane said abalone and rock lobsters depended on these East Coast reefs for survival.

"Recent Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies surveys have predicted that 32 per cent of East Coast kelp reefs will be lost to urchin barrens by 2021," she said.

Ms Landon-Lane said long-spined sea urchins arrived in Tasmania from NSW waters and caused the East Australian Current to move further south, bringing marine species from the warmer northern waters to Tasmania. Once established, the urchins form barrens and stripped coastal reefs.

"This spread of barrens threatens the commercial and recreational fisheries of abalone and rock lobster, yet very few people know about the extent of these urchin barrens," she said.

"We want to help the community to be aware of this problem and the solutions available to prevent further spread. Once established these barrens are very difficult to reverse back to healthy reef."

About 100 people attended the public meeting on May 4 at the Bicheno Community Hall in order to address the crisis.

Speakers included Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies professor Craig Johnson and associate professor Neville Barratt, and Tasmanian Conversation Trust's Jon Bryan.

Ms Landon-Lane said discussion at the meeting included the need for a temporary closure of rock lobster fishing on the East Coast to facilitate the rapid recovery of rock lobster biomass. There was also a discussion on the need for the introduction of a maximum size limit on rock lobsters to apply to recreational and commercial fisheries.

She said while there was support for the commercial harvest of sea urchins as a supporting strategy, the community did not believe this would be capable of stopping the expansion of barrens, particular in deeper waters, or the recovery of existing barrens.