West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says the state's rock lobster industry has nothing to lose under a government plan to grab a share in its annual crayfish catch.
Mr McGowan says the domestic cost of the delicacy would fall - and the state would net millions in revenue - under plans to increase crayfish catch quotas and reserve 1350 tonnes for the local market.
By increasing the annual catch from 6300 to 8000 tonnes there will be 300 extra tonnes of lobster for the commercial industry to sell.
"What we're not doing is taking any of the catch it has," Mr McGowan told 6PR on Wednesday.
"No one is losing anything," he added.
The premier defended Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly against claims the Labor MP had botched handling of the proposal.
"He's done a good job," Mr McGowan said, adding industry representatives had "sat in his office" in November and signed off on the changes.
"We understand they don't like the agreement they signed," he said.
The government has agreed to extend an industry consultation period until the end of January, following an industry-backed advertising blitz against the proposal.
Lobster is one of WA's premium exports, with 95 per cent of the catch sent to China.
It costs $100-a-kilo to buy rock lobster from a local seafood retailer, Mr McGowan claims.
Increasing competition and availability would push down prices, he said, but could not say by how much.
The plan is supported by the Australian Hotels Association and Tourism Council.
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