Southern Peninsula
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Zoe the Spider Crab (Zoe McKenzie) thanks Cr Sarah Race, the mayor Cr Despi O’Connor and Cr Susan Bissinger for trying to protect the crabs when they come close to shore. Picture: Supplied
Police Point Artist in Residence Retrospective Exhibition
12 – 20 June 2021
10am – 12pm and 1 – 3pm Commanding Officer’s House, Point Nepean National Park, Portsea More than 90 local, national and international artists have participated in the Police Point Artist in Residence program since it began five years ago. View a range of creative works by emerging and established artists, writers, musicians, and creatives created on site or inspired by their residency. The Gatekeepers Cottage, the AiR residence, at the adjacent Police Point Shire Park will also be open to the public. To book, visit: airexhibition.eventbrite.com.au For more information: mornpen.vic.gov.au/airexhibition
PAGE 8
Southern Peninsula News
2 June 2021
Zoe’s big day out for hugs ZOE the Giant Spider Crab had a big day out on Monday 24 May, meeting up with the mayor Cr Despi O’Connor and Crs Susan Bissinger and Sarah Race. Along with the rest of their Mornington Peninsula Shire Council colleagues, the councillors want an exclusion zone around piers to prevent fishing for spider crabs, from May to July. The decision rests with the Victorian Fisheries Authority. Members of Save Our Spidercrabs (SOS) thanked the council for its support in working to protect the coming aggregations of spider crabs, with Zoe (SOS committee member Zoe McKenzie) offering hugs all round. Four days earlier Zoe the Spider Crab was telling her story to Sorrento, Red Hill, and Rye
Scouts at an information session on all things spider crabs. The scouts listened to a presentation by Save Our Spider crabs committee member AJ Morton. Mr Morton said the children “deserve an opportunity to experience the amazing spectacle that is the annual spider crab aggregation along the Victorian coastline”. The scouts peppered him with questions about the crustaceans before enjoying cuddles with Zoe. Spider crab presentations at community group functions can be arranged through Facebook or Instagram messenger, or email divealliancevic@ gmail.com #saveourspidercrabs Zoe the Giant Spider Crab will be at Rye Scout Hall, 2pm, Sunday 6 June.
No safety net for spider crabs Continued from Page 1 An existing fishing exclusion zone prohibits the taking of rays, skates and guitar fish within 400 metres of any man-made structure, such as piers. The notice-of-motion was, in effect, asking that an additional fisheries notice be issued for spider crabs. Cr Race added: “This is a phenomenon that should be celebrated, not decimated.” Cr David Gill successfully added that officers organise a publicity plan to highlight the spider crab phenomenon and the need for an exclusion zone. Shire coastal planner Zachary Grimes said that, in June last year, the council had moved: “That urgent action be taken by the chief executive officer to help ensure that the seasonal congregation of spider crabs occurring now in the Rye area be protected from illegal poaching.” The council had then written to the state government detailing community and user groups’ concerns with the overfishing of spider crabs dur-
ing their annual moulting event. It pleaded for a reduced bag limit, education campaigns with interpretive signage “aimed at all coastal users” and tabled the measure of a winter ‘closed season’ to secure the sustainability of the event. In October, the Victorian Fisheries Authority reduced catch limits from 30 to 15. Shire officers recently met with the VFA which agreed to supply additional bins and install educational signs this crab season. Its officers will also provide information, education and enforcement at crab hot spots. “Advocacy efforts for a closed season or spatial ban have not been successful at the officer level to date,” Mr Grimes admitted. Winter aggregations of crabs at the southern end of the bay usually occur in late May or June. The timing is thought to be associated with the full moon and water temperature. Crab aggregations do not always occur at the same places year to year. None had arrived by late last week.