Due to a shipping accident and resultant oil spill, the Tristan da Cunha government required a diving survey be undertaken to assess juvenile rock lobster density at the Tristan da Cunha islands in order to assess the impacts of the spill on recruitment into the fishery. Russell undertook a two month trip to Tristan da Cunha and implemented a dive survey in the shallow subtidal habitats into which juvenile rock lobsters recruit. Diving surveys were conducted at Tristan, Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands allowing comparison between impacted and unimpacted habitats. The survey was undertaken in conjunction with the local Tristanian Conservation and Fisheries Departments.