The Great Crab Escape

Undersized mud crabs will be able to escape crab traps thanks to an innovative gadget being trialled by the NT Government.

Fisheries Minister Kon Vatskalis said the Department of Resources will lead the $73,000 project funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, to test the effectiveness of escape vents.

Mr Vatskalis said the NT Government is committed to improving the fishing experience for anglers in the Territory, adding that this research will help to protect the sustainability of our crab fisheries into the future.

"Crabs no longer need to be 'Houdinis' thanks to this unique little escape vent that should allow undersized crabs to get out of crab pots easily and without trauma," Mr Vatskalis said.

"The vents -- designed here in the Territory - will also stop the bigger crabs eating the small or soft crabs, allow the smaller crabs to escape without being injured and cut down on sorting time," he said.

NT Fisheries scientists have already measured the shell width, length and depth of over 400 mud crabs and have designed escape vents with Territory Laser Cutting for installation in both rigid wire mesh and collapsible mesh crab pots.

"Reducing the number of crabs to be measured will be a major labour saving outcome for commercial operators, and also limit the mortality of undersized crabs returned to the water by both commercial and recreational fishers," Mr Vatskalis said.

"NT Fisheries will provide a limited number of prototype escape vents to any commercial or recreational crabber who wishes to test the device in their pots.

"The escape vents are precision engineered using laser cutting equipment to ensure that all legal sized mud crabs are retained, given the high unit value per crab.

"The devices will be most effective for male mud crabs as they have a smaller minimum legal size than females. The results of the study will also be of relevance to mud crab fisheries in other parts of Australia."

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