North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Take a look at the gulf were crabs used to be in plague proportions. Now the crabbers are struggling. Now you can all say ....."but they have sixty pots that are fishing non stop. Thats why the numbers are down.

Then look at the number of amature pots in relation. Put 10 boats in shoal bay with 10 pots each. Thats 100 pots a day working the bay. =more pots than one pro. Cant tell me that doesnt hit crab numbers.

I agree with SUSIE Q in the fact that the mud crab bag limit is too high. I would like to see it at 5 crabs per person. That gives you at least 3 good feeds. I know I cant eat more than that in 3 feeds and I am not the smallest of lads.

I used to take our 30 crab limit between 3 people when I could get it but found that more got waisted then we used. I now only take 15 between 3 and that is heaps. I know some might be able to eat a shitt load more but I dont think that the majority could............Leave them in the water and catch them as you need them. Costs fuck all to go crabbing a couple of times a month.

Oh and somebody stop the pros from crabbing Shoal bay. The harbor is preserved for amatures make shoal bay the same. For christ sake its one of the most fished places around darwin and it gets hit by pros as well

DOUG wrote:

AM wrote:

DOUG wrote:the bag limit for amatuers does not need to be reduced on crabs thats fo sure !!!!!!

Isnt it 30 per boat for three and more on board, That is pretty generous really, and takes a lot of effort to process unless your freezing green crab which is a bit of a waste in my very limited trial experience. That many crabs (30, not this many) would take almost a day to cook and peel for sure, wouldnt they if you were getting all the met out!!

Your point being??

I guess Doug my point is, that I do think the limit for crab in possision could be lowered a bit. How bout 20 for a start anyway. But hey I need to watch it anyway as too much crab with red wine and Ill be into gout territory for sure.

Seems me and you are destined to butt heads Cuddles


A proffesional Crabber might have a license for 60 pots but these pots crab every tide day in day out for the year. Granted you might get a truck load of amatuer pots over weekends and Holidays but the proffesional pots are worked everyday. Add to this most pro's hold more than one license and it becomes a problem. The other thing is being a proffesional each one of his pots would be placed in such a way to maximise yeild whereas I would guess 5 out of 10 amatuer pots would be a waste of time anyway due to bait, placement, equpment stage of the tide etc.

For what it worth though I think the amatuer limit should be 5 per person and 15 per boat.

ghound wrote:Seems me and you are destined to butt heads Cuddles


A proffesional Crabber might have a license for 60 pots but these pots crab every tide day in day out for the year. Granted you might get a truck load of amatuer pots over weekends and Holidays but the proffesional pots are worked everyday. Add to this most pro's hold more than one license and it becomes a problem. The other thing is being a proffesional each one of his pots would be placed in such a way to maximise yeild whereas I would guess 5 out of 10 amatuer pots would be a waste of time anyway due to bait, placement, equpment stage of the tide etc.

For what it worth though I think the amatuer limit should be 5 per person and 15 per boat.

Great progress there Jimmy at least you guys agree on the new limit!!!

They will give each other a cuddle next

Fisheries police are all over these pics... Will wait and see how they go.... I am sure the NT news would print them.... to ask "how many is too many"

when you dont have the proof its called deformation
its a very serious charge in court

What are ya trying to deform billy.

That it is... Hence the reason that no one has said they have done anything wrong....

double haul wrote:What are ya trying to deform billy.

Is this C.S.I or a fishing forum.

ndf wrote:Is this C.S.I or a fishing forum.

Its a place for people to express an oppinion and if it helps prevent people doing the wrong thing well all the better. Its also a good place to get things heard as all of the people in power read the ideas and get a general consenses off what people think of laws and possible changes of them.

Fear generally makes people question weather something should be asked or not!?????

Spot on CS.
Laws are supposed to reflect the community’s attitude of the day. That’s why many laws are constantly changing and some stay the same.