Abalone gut bait ban

The use of abalone gut as bait or burley is now illegal in NSW.

NSW Department of Primary Industries, Bill Bardsley, said the ban has been put in place to protect NSW abalone stocks from a virus currently spreading in Victoria.

"Abalone viral ganglioneuritis, or AVG, has killed up to 90% of stock in affected regions in Victoria.

"The use of abalone gut as bait carries a high risk of introducing the disease into NSW, threatening both the $5.5m commercial fishery, and recreational harvesting of abalone. If this disease were introduced to NSW it would almost certainly decimate abalone stocks here," he said.

Most abalone harvested from NSW are exported live, meaning abalone gut sourced for bait is mainly imported to NSW from other States, including from Victoria. The inability to distinguish where abalone gut has been harvested makes it necessary to also ban the small amount of gut produced by NSW processors.

"Abalone gut is a specialist bait used mainly by people fishing for black drummer.

"As drummer and abalone share the same habitat this ban is necessary to prevent the inadvertent spread of potentially infected baits into areas where it could possibly do the most harm. Fortunately, there are a number of other highly effective baits that can be used," Mr Bardsley said.

Aside from endangering the future of abalone stocks in NSW, anglers found using abalone gut as bait or burley in NSW risk severe penalties.