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The 'Tristan rock lobster', '''Jasus tristani''', is a species of rock lobster endemic to the Tristan da Cunha archipelago and Vema Seamount, 1,680 km north-east of Tristan ^[1]. It is very closely related to ''J. paulensis'' and these two may represent a single species^[2]. The Tristan rock lobster features on the coat of arms and the flag of Tristan da Cunha. Until 1950, the Tristan rock lobster was only fished for local consumption, but after that time, companies such as the South Atlantic Islands Development Corporation have exploited the rock lobster population. Production peaked in the 1970s, with over 800 tonnes being collected in some years, but the industry has since waned, with less than 400 t being caught most years since 1992^[3].

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References

References

1. Marine lobsters of the world Lipke Holthuis
2. Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of red and green rock lobsters (genus ''Jasus''), J. R. Ovenden, J. D. Booth and A. J. Smolenski, , , Marine and Freshwater Research,
3. Global Capture Production 1950-2004