Swap your opera house yabby traps for an Oar-Gee Plow lure!

Published on 29 January 2024

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM HAS NOW ENDED

Murray River Council is joining the ‘Yabby Trap Round-Up’, and as part of the initiative, fishers will be able to swap their old or unwanted opera house yabby traps for an Oar-Gee Plow lure.

NOTE: Strictly one lure per customer, regardless of trap numbers. 

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. This new legislation has meant many opera house traps sit unused and unwanted in the back of people’s garages.

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 Landfill site for recycling and get a free Aussie-made lure in the process!”

Instead of the old traps, fishers are now 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.

“By using pyramid or hoop nets you’re swapping out your outdated gear, and in the process keeping our local waterways healthy by protecting non-target aquatic species,” Luke added.

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.

Dispose of your old traps today

There are two easy ways to swap your yabby traps and have them recycled:

Option 1: Drop it off locally

Bring your old nets to the Waste Facilities in Barham and Moama, and we’ll take care of the rest!

Opening hours are on our website here.

Option 2: Post your nets

Step 1: Safely remove the fabric net
Using scissors, carefully separate the fabric net from the metal frame of your yabby trap.

Step 2: Package the net
Place the fabric netting into an appropriately sized envelope or package. Remember, we only need the net, so please recycle the metal frame locally. Contact your local Council waste centres as they often provide free metal recycling services.

Step 3: Include your details
Inside the package, include a note with your name, address, email and phone number so we can send your free Oar-Gee lure to the correct location.

Step 4: Label and post
Label the package with the following address and take it to Australia Post to use the free ‘Reply Paid’ postage service:

OzFish Unlimited
TackleLoop
Reply Paid 91075
Ballina NSW 2478