Changes to NSW recreational fishing rules for yabby traps and blue swimmer crabs

Yellowfin tuna © Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW

Changes to recreational fishing rules will come into effect on 30 April 2021 relating to the blue swimmer crab size limit and the use of 'opera house' style yabby traps.

The size limit of blue swimmer crabs will increase from 6 cm to 6.5 cm to help assist with protecting spawning crabs and to improve the productivity of the stock through time. It will also provide consistency between the recreational and commercial fishing sectors.

The use of 'opera house' style yabby traps by recreational fishers will also be prohibited as this gear type poses a risk to air breathing animals such as platypus, water rats and turtles, which can inadvertently get caught in traps.

In 2003, 'opera house' style yabby traps were prohibited in areas where platypus are mostly found; those waters east of the Newell Highway and in some stretches of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers west of the Newell Highway. This rule change will prohibit the use of these traps in the remaining waters of NSW.

Recreational fishers are currently able to use open style pyramid lift nets to target yabbies in all inland waters where hoop nets are permitted. Pyramid lift nets are a more environmentally friendly gear option.

DPI will commence an advisory program to advise about the upcoming rule changes. This will include a giveaway program involving the distribution of pyramid lift nets to help transition anglers to these new nets. 5000 pyramid nets will be distributed by inland Recreational Fishing Education Officers and Fishcare Volunteers at promotional events, field advisory and fishing competitions, via DPI Fisheries Officers during their patrol duties and social media campaigns. The nets were funded by fishing licence money from the Recreational Fishing Freshwater Trust.

DPI Fisheries will also be consulting with the commercial yabby sector about the adoption of new trap designs in waters where opera house traps are used, to ensure ongoing protection for native species.

To assist with the yabby trap transition, the Department of Primary Industries is giving away 5,000 open-top nets. To obtain a free open-top yabby net, please phone (02) 6051 7760 (Monday to Friday). You can also collect one from these locations:

• Tamworth Agricultural Institute, 4 Marsden Park Road, Calala Hours, 8.00 am - 4.00pm
• Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, 7878 Mitchell Highway Trangie, 8.00 am - 4.00pm
• Narrabri- Australian Cotton Research Institute, 21888 Kamilaroi Highway, Narrabri 8.30am - 4.30pm
• Narrandera Fisheries Centre- John Lake Centre, 70 Buckingbong Rd, Gillenbah 9am - 2pm