Title: Appraisal of the economic potential for the rock lobster (Jasus lalandii) fishery in Namibia.

Successful fisheries management considers both biological and economic aspects. This study is aimed at directing Namibia towards developing effective fisheries policies and providing management tools that have the potential to increase economic benefits from the rock lobster fishery. Operational costs in this sub-sector were found to be relatively high with a cost per unit effort of 20.37 from the Gordon Shaefer model. Inefficiencies in maximising net sustainable revenues in the rock lobster fishery are coupled with high levels of effort, namely, effective effort strategies and cost cutting mechanisms such as extended time of baited trap settings and decommissioning of underutilised vessels, respectively. Maximising total net revenue rather than maximising the total catch per year gives a marginal improved management strategy (Roos, 2004).