Fishing has already finished until 2022 for a number of Beachport professional lobster boats.
Their allocated Southern Zone quota for 2021/22 was caught in just over three months of fishing and their lobster pots have recently been brought back to land.
The vessels are being placed in dry dock at Beachport.
Others among the 160-strong Southern Zone fleet are choosing to fish when the market is up.
The absence of the Chinese export market continues to flatten prices.
Retailers are predicting consumers will be paying around $70 per kilogram for their “Christmas crays” which is slightly higher than 2020.
