For the month of February, you’ll be able to dispose of your old or unwanted yabby traps locally or via post to protect the future of fishing and the health of our waterways.
The traps will then be collected and recycled into useful products for fishers, with the proceeds being used to support aquatic habitat restoration.
Opera house-style yabby traps have been illegal in many states across Australia since 2021.
Fishers are instead using environmentally friendly open-top pyramid hoop nets which allow non-target species to escape if they swim in while still effectively catching a feed of tasty yabbies.
Council’s waste coordinator Luke Sciotto said now is the perfect time to dispose of old traps rather than have them go to landfill.
“Rather than simply throw them out, we’re encouraging anyone with old traps to come and drop them at either our Barham or Moama waste facilities for recycling and get a free Aussie-made lure in the process.
“By using pyramid or hoop nets you’re swapping out your outdated gear, and in the process keeping our local waterways healthy by protecting non-target aquatic species.
The Yabby Trap Round-Up program is an initiative of TierraMar in collaboration with OzFish and the NSW DPI. Lures are limited to one per customer.
If you cannot get to the Moama or Barham waste facilities to hand in your nets in persons, go to ozfish.org.au/projects/yabby-trap-round-up and read the step by step process on how to send by mail.
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