Crab.e.cam creator Andy Burnell and Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham get crabby about rule-breakers

Greedy anglers are getting stung in a crackdown on crabbing and fed up authorities are appealing to the public to help them catch even more.

Bountiful blue swimmer crabs have been targeted by 114 selfish and greedy recreational fishers ignoring size and bag limits this summer, prompting the state government to urge more people to dob them in.

In December and January a total of 165 expiations worth more than $83,000 were issued for recreational fishing offences, mostly relating to crabs.

Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham said it was “disappointing to have this many fishers caught doing the wrong thing over the school holiday period”.

“This sort of blatant disregard by a minority of people infuriates everyone and has the potential to risk the sustainability of our fisheries,” he said.

“More than two-thirds of the people caught doing the wrong thing were fishing for blue swimmer crabs and what really irks me is that most of those offenders caught with undersized crabs had a measuring device with them.”

One person was fined $717 for taking 27 undersized blue swimmer crabs at Thompson Beach.

Mr Basham said the state government had increased fines.

Andy Burnell, 56 of Tennyson holding up a Blue Swimmer crab he just caught off Grange. Picture: Russell Millard

The personal daily bag limit is 20 (a combined limit with sand crabs) and the minimum size is 11cm, measured across the carapace (upper shell) from the base of the largest spines.

All blue swimmer crabs must be measured as soon as they are caught and any undersized ones immediately returned to the water.

The daily boat limit when three or more people are crabbing on board is 60 – again a combined limit with sand crabs.

Females with external eggs are totally protected and must be returned to the water immediately.

A department spokeswoman said blue swimmer crabs often moved to shallow waters to feed during January and February.

“The warmer weather accelerates growth, increasing their foraging and feeding behaviour in shallow coastal waters,” she said. “Blue swimmer crabs are also particularly active at dusk and will emerge at night.”

Andy Burnell, 56 of Tennyson has become well known for dropping a baited GoPro off his kayak “to get a glimpse into the underwater world”.

He shares highlights through Crab.e.cam on Facebook and YouTube, describing them as “little bits of theatre, just a minute or two long, little bits of drama”, which have been viewed all over the world.

“As a fisherman, I try and be as responsible as I can and never take too many and always let the little ones go and all that,” he said.

“It really just annoys the hell out of me when people do the wrong thing fishing.”

Report rule-breakers through the 24-hour FISHWATCH number on 1800 065 522, or the SA Recreational Fishing App.