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ZOE the Spider Crab was out and about last week telling anyone who would listen about the crabs’ annual moult and the gaunlet they run from people eager to catch and cook them. “Zoe’s big day out for hugs” Page 8
Spider crabs stay on the menu Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) is unlikely to grant Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s plea to ban the taking of spider crabs from May to July. The council wrote to Fishing and Boating Minister Melissa Horne seek-
ing the spatial ban to protect the crabs during their annual aggregation off Rye and Blairgowrie. Copies of the request were forwarded to Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, as well as peninsula federal and state MPs. Although it was unclear last week whether the authority had received the request, the VFA’s Dallas D’Silva told
The News there were “lots of crabs for fishers and divers to enjoy – now and into the future”. “The VFA encourages recreational fishers and divers to enjoy this amazing natural phenomenon again this year, if an aggregation of the crabs again occurs near one of these accessible piers,” Mr D’Silva said. “We encourage recreational fishers to enjoy fishing for spider crabs with
family and friends.” Fishers needed a recreational fishing licence and to “follow the fishing rules”. Cr Sarah Race’s notice-of-motion calling for the crab fishing ban carried at the 18 May council meeting aimed to reinforce the shire’s advocacy for the crabs’ protection “and the desire of our local community to have a no-take season”.
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“The spider crab aggregation is one of the marine world’s great wonders, as highlighted by David Attenborough,” Cr Race stated in the agenda. “Our community has been disturbed by the taking of the crabs during this period – not only due to the sheer number crabbed, but also with the detritus left over afterwards, such as chicken carcasses.” Continued Page 8