Wanted: your old yabby traps!

Published on 26 February 2024

The Yabby Trap Round Up is an innovative program run by the OceanEarth Foundation aimed at encouraging people to hand in their old Opera House style yabby traps.

The old style of nets have now been banned in all NSW waters for two years due to the risk they pose to our wildlife.

Opera house traps have proven harmful to native wildlife and are now illegal in most states of Australia.

By swapping them for open-top pyramid or hoop nets, you’ll ensure non-target species can escape, promoting a healthy ecosystem.

The collected opera house traps through this initiative will be recycled into useful products for fishers, with proceeds used to support habitat restoration efforts.

Recreational fishers are an essential part of our community, and by showing up for our waterways, we can create a positive long-term impact.

Just throwing them straight into landfill creates another problem, so OceanEarth are recycling the traps into quality products for fishers that will also raise money for habitat restoration!

As a THANK YOU, OceanEarth will be giving away a funky new Oar-Gree lure to each person who brings in some traps.

Kempsey Council is participating in the program by providing drop off points for the yabby traps.

What are you waiting for? Upgrade your gear, embrace sustainable practices, and help us create a thriving environment for our native fish and wildlife.

You can drop off your unwanted traps and pick up your new lure at the Kempsey Waste Management Centre, or any of the waste transfer stations except for Bellbrook, from 4 March until 19 April 2024.