# Qld-scarby, a run in with a pro crabber.



## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

Well today it finally happened, I had my first run in with a pro crabber.
I had been out since around 530 and had made my way slowly out to the main reef and come 8 o'clock I could feel myself getting burnt so decided to head in and started a slow troll back to shore.

I hadn't got more than 20 meters in to the troll home when I saw the crabber coming in close to throw his pots over but he kept getting closer and closer and I was starting to think he really wanted to throw his pot in close to me but I was wrong. He came up within a paddle length from the side of me and asked me if I knew a bloke who had an all grey yak and wore all grey clothing I replied with no I don't know anyone who owns a grey yak and I generally don't know any other yakers he then proceeded to tell me how he and this grey yaker and words yesterday because the grey yaker told him he shouldn't be setting his pots where people are fishing or something like that and then the story changed to that he shouldn't come in so close to people who are trolling lines ( I think he may have upset more than one person and his story was about more than one bloke) all while he's getting more and more aggressive.

He then proceeded to tell me that we should all be using trolling flags to let him know that we have lines out behind us ( I dint even know there were such flags) then proceeds to tell me that he's gona put a stop to people using kayaks so I asked him why and that's when he tells me that this grey bloke has gone and cut four of the lines on crab pots and tells me that he's my mate so I asked him how he knew it was the kayaker and not someone else and that's when started to get rather aggressive towards me calling me all sorts of names so I told him to settle down and that he was carrying on like a pork chop and that I wasn't the one who cut his lines, more words were spoken and in the end he told me to meet him at the boat ramp where he was gona give me a smack in the mouth at this point I told him what I thought of him and I guess he didn't like that because he reversed his boat a few times all just missing me both times, I don't think he was trying to hit me just scare me and to be honest he did a good job at it.

At this point I realised things had gotten out of hand so I decided to take a photo of his rego number/licence number or whatever it is that the pros have on the side of their boats he then proceeded to tell me he was going to report me as well, what he wanted to report me for I have no idea. He left telling me he was gona run down any kayaker he saw from now and sped off towards the mariner.

I decided I well and truly had enough for the day and made my way back to shore and contacted the water police about it.

If you fish scarby on a semi regular basis you know who I'm talking about, I've seen this bloke blow up at both kayakers and boaties alike and more than once I've seen him get a lot closer then he should.

His rego number is FQAS so if you see this bloke just stay away from him. (If the mods want to remove the number I'll understand)

If you are the grey yaker and you did cut his lines you're a bloody idiot because you've just made things a lot harder for the rest of us.

But on a lighter note I did manage two legal snapper for the day.


----------



## billpatt (Apr 12, 2010)

Most of them are nice guys, even if they do come a bit close most of the time. The other thing I don't like about them getting too close is the big arse Tiger that follows him around sometimes. :lol:

The one off Manly and Wello, always comes over to say G'day, and offers the bream he gets in his pots, to which I always politely answer no (the only good bream to eat are caught off a beach in my opinion).

I can understand how you would have been getting a bit worried. Scary stuff.


----------



## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Well done, you've done the right thing. This guy sounds like a clown, I hope the water police or whatever relevant authority catch up with this guy and sort him out. It might be worth taking up with Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol also, although I'm not sure they can help in this circumstance.

I don't think that his rego should be removed and further to this point I think photos should be posted also as a public service so people know who to look out for.

Kev


----------



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Adam

It's déjà vu.

In April this year I was out with Beekeeper, and I saw a trawler netting illegally 900 metres off Scarby beach. Here is Jimbo's original thread on the day, and my encounter with the trawler is on page three of that thread.  I quote:



kayakone said:


> Wednesday last week saw an even worse guy in a BIG stinker...a trawler! It was well on the wrong side of the fishing boundary with nets deployed, and was not far to sea from my position. I took some photos and called the Illegal Fisheries Hotline.
> 
> Here is my account of the incident (which actually turned quite nasty....more on that later), via email to Fisheries:
> 
> ...


----------



## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

kayakone said:


> Adam
> 
> It's déjà vu.
> 
> ...


What he said

Nail him Trev


----------



## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

Hay gaff, I think I know the guy you talk about as I see him every time I fish there.

When I see him on the water and if there is any pots around I just get out of the way.
Recently I watched him checking pots one day and from 3 pots he had nothing, so he is obviously doing it tough and looking for some one to blame.

I always give him a wave and he usually replies, but he does not use as many fingers as I do.

But one thing that concerns me most is the amount of kayakers on Scarborough Reef not wearing a PFD.

With a grumpy crabber around threatening to run someone over, with no PFD you are at an extreme disadvantage.

So thanks for posting this and contacting the water police.

I will continue to keep a eye out for him.

Greg


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Any crabs?


----------



## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

I had a phone call from the guy at the water police just letting me know that they were putting it in their system and possibly sending him a public nuisance fine, he also mentioned that earlier in the year they had a complaint made about a pro crabber in the area so it could possibly be the same bloke. 
I do feel for him losing those pots as that's how he makes his money and I know how it feels when you get your tools stolen on site.

I do agree Trev, I see it only getting worse and one day someone's going to get hurt. I still don't understand why someone would go out with out a pfd, I think I paid $80 for mine, it's not the most comfy of things to wear but the day when the perfect storm is recreated out there at least I know I'll be able to stay afloat.
As for that trawler I think that would of been a serious brown shorts moment for me.

I guess one good out come to this is that I've had to have a rethink about what sort of safety gear I take out with me.

Barra to be honest I don't think I've ever seen him pull up any crabs, he must pull them up other wise he wouldn't be doing it but ive never seen him catch any. Any one know if they are getting sandys or spanners out there?


----------



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Adam it doesn't really matter is he is doing it tough or not. He is allowed 50 pots, recreational fishers are allowed 4 (I think - I don't have crabs  I mean I don't go crabbing. :lol: )

Surely he can't nearly run kayakers over while doing his job! I think from your description he fits into one or all of those categories I mentioned earlier. There is no excuse for creating danger of a collision at sea, nor for intimidating kayakers, nor any other water user.

I repeat: _*remain clam, don't retaliate, be polite (may take a lot of effort), and film/record away.*_ If you do film/record, try to be unobtrusive as possible, to avoid the situation I found myself in with the trawler. Also, it may be useful info for the authorities if it escalates.

Speaking of escalating, I feel sure Beekeeper has had a few 'run-ins' with these crabbers for obnoxious behaviour, or at least behaviour inconsiderate of kayakers. We are water users with the same rights to paddle/pedal peacefully wherever we go. Maybe we'll hear from Jimbo, though I fear by this time he may have taken his 'meds' and be non-incommunicado'. :lol:


----------



## ryan (May 30, 2012)

Report him before he does something to someone if u dont wana report him get some scuba gear and an old school manual drill but option 1 is definitely the better one everyone has a right to be out there


----------



## spork (Jan 21, 2012)

He probably thinks it's fun to brush cyclists with his wing mirrirs when he drives home too.
May all his crabs be pubic.


----------



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

spork said:


> He probably thinks it's fun to brush cyclists with his wing mirrirs when he drives home too.
> May all his crabs be pubic.


I know what you're saying Spork - he's inconsiderate of others to the point of harm. From Adam's description of his behaviour, you could be spot on, but please don't start on bicycles on the road here. There _are_ people on this forum _who think that bicycles have no right to be on the road_. :shock: That deserves another thread.


----------



## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Gee

Re 131444
Pretty sure that's a way of ensuring facts are consistent to weed out the nuts

Same way a doctor asks the same questions the nurse asked and the registrar asked etc and so on ad infinitum

Better the story is retold and checked than a blase response of "yeah yeah we know" ;-)


----------



## soloyakka85 (Sep 19, 2012)

a threat of violence as in what happened in your case is enough for assault charges to be made. 
Caustic soda crystals thrown into his boat works better than a drill FWIW. And just a little slower but not much. 
Phil


----------



## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

Had a phone call from the water police today, I gotta go in some time this week to give a statement. They said that they know who he is and that he's a bit of a stand over man he said it doesn't matter if your a kayaker or another crabber. So that says to me then that he's had a few complaints made about him then.


----------



## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

Thanks for the advice Liam, im going to do just that tomorrow when I get home from work.


----------



## Yabb (Aug 18, 2013)

spork said:


> He probably thinks it's fun to brush cyclists with his wing mirrirs when he drives home too.
> May all his crabs be pubic.


I know this is a serious topic but surely Spork wins quote of the day!!

"May all his crabs be pubic"... Love It! :lol:


----------

