Responsible Crabbing Key to Protecting Hinchinbrook Waterways

A crab pot clean-up carried out last year in the Hinchinbrook Channel is continuing to serve as an important reminder about the impact abandoned and incorrectly set fishing gear can have on local waterways.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers conducted a two-day clean-up operation in a popular creek system near Ingham and Lucinda, removing a total of 36 unlawful crab pots from the water. Several of the pots were still “ghost fishing”, continuing to trap marine life long after being abandoned.

Officers found some pots containing dead marine animals, while others held live crabs and fish, which were safely released back into the channel. In addition to the pots, officers also removed ropes tied to mangroves with no pots attached — clear signs of old and discarded crabbing gear — as well as other marine litter, including plastic bags.

The clean-up highlighted the difference responsible fishing practices can make, with officers thanking fishers who had their crab pots correctly set and clearly marked, and who took their rubbish home after a day on the water.

Abandoned pots and loose ropes can pose serious risks to marine life and damage sensitive mangrove and creek systems that are vital to Hinchinbrook’s fishing and tourism industries.

Authorities are reminding crabbers to always mark pots correctly, remove unused ropes and gear, and ensure nothing is left behind once crabbing is finished.

Keeping waterways clean not only protects marine life but also helps preserve the Hinchinbrook Channel for future generations of fishers and boaters.

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The 2025 clean up saw 36 unlawful crab pots removed from the Hinchinbrook Channel. Photo source: Fisheries Queensland