Following community support to recycle old opera house nets in New South Wales, South Australia launched the Yabby Trap Round Up in early 2024. The nets were banned in SA in July 2023, so this project looks at swapping the traps for a more sustainable alternative.
The Yabby Trap Round Up was launched in mid 2023 in New South Wales. The project encourages anyone with old or unwanted opera house yabby traps to send them to OzFish or drop them off at Trap Drop Spots for recycling, and receive a free Aussie-made lure.
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.
Recreational fishers are an essential part of our community, and by showing up for our waterways, we can create a positive long-term impact.
What are you waiting for? Upgrade your gear, embrace sustainable practices, and help us create a thriving environment for our native fish and wildlife. See you at the Yabby Trap Round-Up events!
The projects within NSW and SA are only for a limited time, however, OzFish will continue to collect nets as part of its Tackle Loop program.
For those who drop off their yabby traps, the frame will be separated from the net, which will then go to a metal recycling facility. All nets will go to OceanEarth Foundation, who are developing a way to upcycle the nets into a fishing product.
Non-target species including platypus, native water rats (rakali), turtles and birds are attracted to the bait placed in traps, which are at high risk of becoming caught and drowning.
It is illegal to use yabby traps in NSW, VIC, TAS, WA and SA, and in QLD there are restrictions. Click here for a fact sheet from NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Open-top pyramid and hoop nets are a more environmentally friendly design, allowing non-target species to escape if they swim in, while being effective at catching yabbies.