Illegal crabber used a whole seagull for bait

We gave our readers the heads-up on Operation Portunus, a new crackdown targeting illegal crabbing activities across NSW leading up the busy black-market seafood and holiday period.

But it seems our warning fell on deaf ears as the list of brazen illegal crabbing busts reads like a long rap from a recidivist of the lowest order.

Heading the list of shocking finds were the large numbers of unmarked and unattended crab traps seized from the
Coffs Harbour area, including one baited with a whole seagull.

Not far behind were the 15 unmarked unattended crab traps seized from the Duck River
in Sydney Harbour, a toxic tributary to the Parramatta River, which due to high pollution is closed to all forms of fishing. Eat the mud crabs at your peril... if you even know they were caught there.

In another locale, 29 Crab traps and almost 100 Mud, Hermit and Blue Swimmer
Crabs were seized from Wallis Lake. Hermit crabs! Now who eats them?

There were 12 unmarked and unattended crab traps along with baits and buckets seized from the Bellinger River Recreational Fishing Haven.

Some 150kg of Spanner Crabs, worth approximately $3000, was seized from a person connected with a commercial fishing business, who had allegedly taken the crabs during a closure period. Fisheries officers also found a number of undersize Spanner Crabs in the catch.

In separate incidents, 13 crab traps were seized from a number of people found allegedly using excess traps and using crab traps in closed areas of the Evans, Richmond and Clarence Rivers.

Presumably as part of a black-market bust, 47 Mud Crabs were seized from a person allegedly transporting the crabs to Sydney two days before Christmas.

There were also 42 unmarked crab traps and hoop nets seized from Tuggerah Lake, on the Central Coast, on New Year’s Day.

A number of people face on the spot fines or the possibility of court for offences connected to some of these seizures.

On the spot fines of up to $2750 apply for illegally taking crabs in NSW. Offenders also risk the seizure of their fishing gear (including boats) and catch.

NSW DPI Fisheries Officers, along with NSW Police from the Marine Area Command (who seized unmarked and unattended crab traps in Broken Bay recently), will continue to target illegal crabbing activity as part of Operation Portunus, in an effort to increase sustainable crab fishing practices, reduce offending and user conflict in both recreational and commercial crab fisheries.

Crab fishers are reminded to mark their traps and hoop nets correctly. You need a fishing licence to catch crabs and prawns in NSW waters.

For more information about crabbing in NSW, including size and bag limits, gear rules and local crabbing guides, go to NSW Fishing Rules and Regulations.

You can report illegal fishing activity in NSW by calling 1800 043 536.