China has decided to temporary block the entry of rock lobsters from Australia on its market pending the outcome of the ongoing negotiations with the Australian government, which could lead to the establishment of a formal industry trade deal between the two countries.

The federal government has issued advisory to rock lobster exporters that China would be closing its market due to the trade moratorium though reports also indicated that the ban would not affect seafood exports coming from both the New Zealand and South Africa.

The ban imposed would gravely affect the million-dollar industry, according to South Australian lobster exporter Andrew Laurie, who said that hard hit would be the seafood harvesting areas of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Mr Laurie requested federal authorities to quickly act on the lifting of the trade prohibition and clarify with Beijing why the rock lobsters ban was being imposed on Australian exporters, pointing out that "we're at a loss to understand why it's only Aussie lobster that's being singled out."

As a direct result of the unilateral trade ban, rock lobsters' market price in many areas saw their prices plunging from a high of $80 per kilogram to mere $30 and the Western Rock Lobster Council called on the federal government to help out the industry by lending some form of certainty for the local market.

Council representative Nic Sofoulis said that the ban's considerable effects could be minimised by the positive outcome of the discussions being held by trade envoys of both China and Australia.

More so, Mr Sofoulis stressed, stability in the rock lobsters export industry could be achieved once the Australian government forges a trade agreement with China.

He reminded that for the moment, "China pays the best price for our lobster and without them in the market the price has dropped considerably," adding that much of the issues encountered by the industry at this time could be resolved by a formal trade agreement between the government of China and Australia.