Metanephrops challengeri (commonly known as the New Zealand lobster or New Zealand scampi Unlike some other species of Metanephrops, the carapace is smooth, as are the abdominal tergae, and the chelipeds are covered in fine granules. and are blue in colour. It lives in burrows in a variety of "suitable cohesive" sediments, Lobsters have few parasites, the most important for M. challengeri being the microsporidian Myospora metanephrops. Catch limits were introduced in 1990/91, The fishery is centred on four areas of continental shelf of the submerged continent Zealandia: the Campbell Plateau around the Auckland Islands, Chatham Rise, along the Wairarapa coast, and in the Bay of Plenty. There is considerable variation in the catch per unit effort between different depths, between different geographical areas and between different years.

Metanephrops challengeri was the subject of a 2003 select committee inquiry in the New Zealand parliament, after allegations of corruption arose against officers of the Ministry of Fisheries. Although the allegations were quashed, the inquiry ruled that preferential treatment had been given to the large fishing company Simunovich Fisheries. In response, the government introduced M. challengeri into their Quota Management System and paid compensation to some fishermen who had a justified grievance. Under QMS, an overall limit of was put in place for M. challengeri in 2011.

Conservation

thumb|[[New Zealand sea lions are occasionally caught during the scampi fishery as bycatch.]]

Metanephrops challengeri is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, due in part to the Quota Management System put in place by the New Zealand government. which is considered a vulnerable species by the IUCN.

Taxonomy

Metanephrops challengeri was first described by Heinrich Balss in 1914, under the name Nephrops challengeri. Both were females, and they have been deposited at the Natural History Museum in London. Jenkins placed M. challengeri among the "thomsoni group" within the genus Metanephrops, alongside M. thomsoni, M. sibogae, M. boschmai and M. sinensis.

References

Further reading

  • Report on the Crustacea Macrura collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the Years 1873–1876 by C. Spence Bate