Crab fishers in South Australia have been warned to adhere strictly to the fishing limits or face heavy fines, following a crackdown by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA). Over the past month, more than 70 on-the-spot fines amounting to over $25,000 were issued to recreational fishers violating fishing regulations, specifically concerning the Blue Swimmer Crabs.
During the inspections, fisheries officers from PIRSA patrolled several popular crabbing locations. They checked over 1,000 fishers, many of whom were found to be flouting the rules by taking undersized crabs and exceeding the legal bag limits. Officers issued more than 100 written cautions and seized approximately 2,500 illegally caught Blue Swimmer Crabs throughout these operations. A particularly severe case involved a group of three individuals caught with over 350 crabs, nearly 300 of which were below the legal size requirement.
In South Australia, the Blue Swimmer Crab must have a carapace measurement of at least 11 centimeters from side to side at the base of the largest spines to be considered legal size. The law requires that any crab falling below this size be returned to the water immediately to preserve the crab populations. The regulations also set a combined limit of 20 Blue Swimmer and Sand Crabs per person, to prevent overfishing and ensure the sustainability of these species.
Benn Gramola, Director of Fisheries Operations at PIRSA, said, “This blatant disregard of the law is incredibly disappointing to say the least. Some of the fishers who were caught red-handed received on-the-spot fines of more than $1,400.” He said that such penalties should stand as a stark reminder of the consequences of non-compliance with fishing regulations.
Gramola also highlighted that the fishing restrictions are designed to guarantee that both present and future generations can enjoy crabbing. “It’s the responsibility of all fishers to educate themselves about the rules and stick to them – there is clear signage at popular crabbing spots about how to measure to ensure crabs are the correct size along with information about bag and boat limits, so there is no excuse for breaking the rules,” he commented.
If members of the public suspect someone isn’t doing the right thing, they can report it anonymously
through the 24-hour FISHWATCH hotline on 1800 065 522, or via the SA Recreational Fishing App.
For more information about fishing limits in South Australia, visit https://pir.sa.gov.au/fishing-limits.
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