For 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 Yabby Trap Round-Up program is an initiative of TierraMar in collaboration with OzFish and the NSW DPI.
Instead of the old traps, anglers are now using environmentally friendly open-top pyramid hoop nets, which allow non-target species to escape if they swim in while still catching a feed of tasty yabbies.
Council’s Waste Coordinator Luke Sciotto said now was 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,” Mr Sciotto said.
“By using pyramid or hoop nets, you’re swapping out your outdated gear and keeping our local waterways healthy by protecting non-target aquatic species.”
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.
There are two options 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 the rest will be taken care of.
Opening hours are on the council’s website.
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, send only the net, so please recycle the metal frame locally. Contact your local council waste centres, which 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 your free Oar-Gee lure can be sent 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
Lures are limited to one per customer.
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